(L-R) Carrie Douglass, Founder and Chelsea Callicott, Executive Director | Photo by Carol Sternkopf
Dear Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners and Community Leaders: Imagine a place where you start your day with a smile. An inspired environment filled with natural light & access to the outdoors, with amenities designed to fuel success while refueling your spirit. Where professional pursuit is driven by personal balance.
“Wake up,” you tell yourself; “I must be dreaming!” But then you realize you are awake and such a vision is actually possible, and this possibility is an actual reality right here in beautiful Bend, Oregon. Welcome to The Haven!
Opening early this summer, The Haven is a gorgeous, multi-level, community-driven, reimagined co-working environment located on SW Disk Drive, near the intersection of SW Columbia St. and Colorado Ave. Predicated upon inclusivity, The Haven supports traditionally underserved and marginalized populations, welcoming people of all genders, identities and backgrounds to engage in a productive, inspiring collaborative space where work and life achieve a harmonious co-existence. Designed by women for everyone, The Haven is powered by Carrie Douglass, founder; Chelsea Callicott, executive director; Susan Manrao, creative director; Amy Turner, programming director and Liz Allore Shurmur, partnerships as well as other key women in supportive roles.
The Haven began conceptually as the team asked themselves and others, including remote workers, a series of questions such as the following: “When are you most productive?” “What is your ideal workspace?” “What do you want your workspace to contribute to your professional life?” Revealing answers generated a basic need: a space designed to foster your whole self, not just your work self. And thus the physical location was chosen, internal construction begun, and amenities selected in support of this guiding principle that resulted in a workspace + social hub for professionals of all sorts.
For remote workers, an estimated 12.5 percent of Bend’s workforce who find themselves in relative isolation, the notion of supporting one’s whole self is particularly enticing. Typically lacking in their existence are place-based exchanges and stimulating creative energy of others that come with a brick-and-mortar facility. Also often missing from their work-a-day lives is the ability to move around uninhibited by nagging household tasks that constantly beckon. To exit this situation demands getting in a car and driving to multiple locations, like the coffee shop for a meeting, the yoga studio for a workout or the park to unwind. Why not instead roll all these possibilities into one convenient location, which is exactly what The Haven did.
Basking in abundant natural light with commanding views of the Deschutes River from its perch atop the ridge, each of the many spaces was designed to evoke an inspired emotive state and suit a multitude of purposes. From individual work stations, semi-private booths and communal tables to large workshop and conference rooms as well as smaller meeting rooms complete with white board and TV/video conferencing capability, not to mention a kitchen, bar, common area, outdoor patio, synergy space to recharge and two showers, this place has it all. Complementing the unique qualities of each of the many spaces are the carefully selected furnishings from nearly 100 different vendors that together elicit just the right atmosphere for the task at hand. For an outdoor meeting or inspired break, paddle boards, passes to Mt. Bachelor and the ever-glorious River Trail are available.
Membership comes in various forms and costs depending on one’s business needs. Choose from Social Select, Part-Time Flex, Full-Time Flex, In Residence, Private Office or even a Day Pass. Part-Time Flex is the main membership option, delivering a generous 64 hours of access per month, one full-day guest pass, four credits for meeting room reservations, access to the space M-F 8am-6pm, as well as access to member-only events and member pricing on meeting and event rentals. This option makes good sense since “70 percent of the facility is Flex Space,” Executive Director Chelsea Callicott, aka Curator of Community, explains, “and in it we strive to create a culture of generosity where sharing ideas and expertise is the norm.”
Many membership options beget a diversity of members, not only from many sectors of the workforce, but also in terms of race, ethnicity, gender and age, and this diversity is central to The Haven’s ideological platform. “We wanted specifically to be diverse because that’s when the magic happens,” Founder Carrie Douglass states. Diversity presents an opportunity for dialogue, and The Haven is intended to be “a place to have tough conversations, to think outside the box, to innovate,” Carrie asserts. For underrepresented individuals struggling to get a start, fellowships provide an opportunity to become involved.
To encourage dialogue, creativity and community, members have many opportunities to meet, for example, informally, say over a delicious beverage on the outdoor patio, or through structured experiences, like the available Programming options such as the weekly writing power hour or daily meditation sessions. Formal mentoring programs and an internal online community with access to member profiles (bio, expertise) also facilitate meaningful communication.
With its much-anticipated early summer opening quickly approaching, memberships at The Haven are selling fast! In fact, Carrie reveals that “We hope to open near full capacity, starting at 200 members, and actually have the potential to sell out before opening.” Don’t miss your chance to become part of this innovative, reimagined co-working space where diversity is encouraged and community flourishes.
