Workers are discovering the secret of Sisters. Locals who live on ranches and in forests nearby seek community and decent Internet in town. Remote workers escape from cities to enjoy the area’s natural wonders. The small town of Sisters offers a surprising variety of workspace and conferencing options at various price points.
It’s pleasant, working at Canoe Club. Today I sit at a handsome wood slab table under unobtrusive lighting and occasionally glance at The Barn across the street, where locals and tourists flock for food and drink. As I put the kettle on and wait for my cup of Earl Grey tea, I also notice the silence. I’m the only person here.
Leather sofas, fridge, coffee, extra monitors on loan, affordable mini snacks: the relatively new co-working space Canoe Club clearly knows what matters to remote workers, peripatetic hybrid employees, and freelancers with home offices. Such workers often seek a change of scene or need a meeting spot outside the public eye.
Membership options include a $100 punch card, a $150/month café option for shared space, a dedicated standing desk for $350, and private offices starting at $750. Access is available around the clock.
For Internet, the Canoe Club offers two TDS (formerly Bend Broadband) lines operating at 250 Mbps. TDS is not known for being fast and smooth in Sisters Country, but Canoe Club’s Abhi Chaudhuri, a 19-year veteran tech executive, says that the access has functioned well so far.
Small meeting rooms and larger conference rooms are available. A recent meeting I attended in a Canoe Club conference room went smoothly for participants. Details at canoeclubcoworking.com.
If all you need is spot for meetings, the Sisters branch of Deschutes Public Library offers new options. In its recent remodel, the Sisters library traded its cozy, friendly vibe for a streamlined, airport-like feel. The remodel included refurbishing the large conference room and adding in small study rooms. Expect matter-of-fact rooms with white boards and some technical capabilities; see deschuteslibrary.org/services/meeting-rooms.
The jewel in Sisters’ crown is a coffeehouse called Fika, which boasts a tiny co-working space called Jobb upstairs. Many a local tête-à-tête takes place at Fika; one City of Sisters employee called Fika “the unofficial meeting space for the City.”
Downstairs, the coffeehouse’s gorgeous view of the mountains is slowly being gobbled up by commercial development. It’s still lovely, with hygge on ample display and a plethora of stunning plants. In a loft upstairs — unbeknownst to many visitors — the Jobb space includes a lounge, phone booth, whiteboard and eight workstations.
Owner Renee Reitmeier specifies that Jobb is looking for “kind, creative people” to join its small community. Full-time members receive a dedicated desk, while “floaters” come to the space and work with a laptop. TDS provides Internet service at the highest bandwidth available, routed to split between café and Jobb usage.
Coffee is included, or head downstairs for a latte and a slice of delicious quiche, based on a Reitmeier family recipe — as are many of Fika’s Swedish-inspired treats. Learn more at fikasisters.com.
For those working with more than a laptop, the town has a new option: Sisters Makers (see related article). Their new space downtown at the edge of Fir Street Park welcomes members growing businesses in art, craft, agriculture, and artisanal goods. Studios and offices are leased at 30 percent below market rate; shared open workspace is available for other members starting at $150/month. View the spaces at sistersmakers.com.
Full conference amenities and smaller breakout rooms can also be found in the forests of Sisters Country. FivePine Lodge and Conference Center, nestled among the pines at the southeast corner of town, hosts local gatherings and banquets along with larger conferences (fivepine.com).
A 20 minute drive north lies Black Butte Ranch, with meeting rooms, event and wedding spaces, and several restaurants. Resort amenities are set amid trees, horse pastures, a bubbling creek, and a small lake (blackbutteranch.com). Back on the western edge of town, the Ponderosa Lodge Best Western offers a tech-ready meeting room for up to 50 attendees (bestwesternsisters.com).
