First look: Goldblum mural anchors Bloomfield's new cowork cafe
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The new "Jeff Goldbloomfield" mural at Creative Chem Co. Photo: Chrissy Suttles/Axios
A massive indoor mural of Jeff Goldblum and eclectic 1970s décor set the tone at Creative Chem Co., a new cafe and coworking space opening this December in Bloomfield.
The big picture: When lifelong Pittsburgher and creative director Marla Solnik launched her freelance career from home, isolation hit fast.
- Missing the energy of agency life but uninspired by existing coworking spaces, she set out to create her own.
Zoom in: The cafe's first floor will be open to the public, featuring specialty drinks from Commonplace Coffee — lattes, cappuccinos, espresso and more. Local art will line the walls, with rotating exhibits for sale.
- The first floor has a mix of public seating and studio and meeting space for members.
- A 10-by-18-foot mural of West Homestead native Jeff Goldblum dominates the back wall. Painted by Pittsburgh artist Jeremy Raymer, it captures Goldblum's famous shirtless "Jurassic Park" scene, lounging in flower field beside a neon sign that reads, "Life Finds a Way in Bloomfield."
- Solnik calls it the "Jeff Goldbloomfield."
- The second floor — reserved for club members — can host about 35 people at a time and has a kitchen, large desks, meeting rooms, quiet booths and creative studios.
The intrigue: After more than a year spent handpicking furniture, art and lighting, Solnik hopes Creative Chem Co. will offer what the old South Side Beehive once did — a chance to slow down and just "hang out," she says.
How it works: Visitors will be able to book spaces on an app with flexible options — from hourly reservations to day passes and multi-day packs. Slots will be available in the morning, afternoon and evening. Check prices and perks here.
Flashback: The building most recently housed letterpress shop Sapling Press, and before that was home to an industrial cleaner manufacturer called Creative Chemical Company. It still bears traces of its industrial past, including old cranes on the second floor.
Between the lines: Coworking has soared in popularity since the 2010s — rising fast as the pandemic fueled a lasting preference for remote work — but it's facing new headwinds as more companies push for a return to offices.
Yes, but: Pittsburgh remains a coworking hub, ranking No. 9 in the U.S. for coworking density, with 14.5 spaces per 100,000 residents, per CoworkingCafe. Several of the region's largest employers have also maintained flexible work policies five years after the pandemic.
- Pittsburgh's coworking spaces have evolved in the past year as national players move in and local operators expand, Technical.ly reports.
If you go: Creative Chem Co. opens Dec. 1.
- 4618 Friendship Ave., Bloomfield
- Monday-Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday 9am-5pm