4 hours ago - Business

Coworking chain Switchyards adds Raleigh to the roster

Industrial coworking cafe with exposed ceiling beams, string lights, and orange lanterns. A glass display cabinet sits in the foreground while people work at wooden tables along a long bench. — A Switchyards coworking space in Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

Less than a year after opening its first Triangle location in Durham, the coworking company Switchyards is expanding to Raleigh.

Why it matters: Part of the appeal of Switchyards, a chain born in Atlanta, is that members can go to any of its 24/7 workspaces. A second Triangle location gives it an edge with remote workers who bounce between Raleigh and Durham.

Zoom in: The work club has leased 811 W. Hargett St., a century-old building along the train tracks west of downtown.

It was formerly home to The Factory, a coworking space that closed in 2023.

The big picture: The resilience of the hybrid work model after the pandemic has ushered in a renaissance for coworking spaces. They're attractive to workers who don't want to return to the office but also don't want to work in isolation.

What they're saying: Switchyards founder and CEO Michael Tavani said the company has "been on the hunt for a great building in Raleigh."

"People want to work outside of the house. And there's a growing need for that 'third place for work' in this city and beyond," Tavani said in a news release. "Somewhere to mix it up and be around others."

How it works: The club is initially accepting 250 members, with sign-up starting at 10am on Thursday, May 14. The current price is $129 a month.

Durham's memberships sold out on the first day — not an uncommon experience — but it's no longer on a waitlist.

Zoom out: Asheville and Charlotte are Switchyards' other North Carolina cities.

What's next: The Raleigh club opens Monday, May 18.

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Coworking chain Switchyards adds Raleigh to the roster

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