Caroline Collective Cickoff

It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here: The highly-anticipated grand opening of the Caroline Collective takes place this Saturday, June 7th beginning at 7:00 p.m. as Houston finally welcomes a coworking home of our own.

The mission of the Caroline Collective is to provide a stimulating work environment for anyone who doesn't have a traditional office setting, but still wants to participate in a communal workspace and have a base of operations -- even if only for a day. Creative types, writers, journalists, artists, independent contractors, freelancers or telecommuters -- all are welcome at the Collective. In the words of their website:

Coworking starts with community.

The coworking movement strives to combine the relaxed working environment of the home office with a dynamic social atmosphere.

The coworking model encourages the free flow of projects and ideas and is founded on the belief that working together is working smarter.

The Caroline Collective was initially concieved by two graduate students from Rice University, Ned Dodington and Matthew Wettergreen, who saw the need for a coworking space in Houston. Home to hundreds of thousands of self-employed or telecommuting workers and artists, Houston is the perfect city for such a venture and the Caroline Collective seeks to be a haven for those tired of working in cramped home offices or loud cafes. The pair say of their venture:

Honestly, our expectations were simply to provide a space for the community that would provide the same tools and atmosphere that has allowed two people of disparate disciplines to come together in collaboration. With little more goals than that, something monumental has occurred every day over the past 5 months.

Using hard-won donations, Dodington and Wettergreen leased a rundown, 6,000-square-foot office building on Caroline Street in the Museum District and set about renovating the building to fit the Collective's needs. Over months of cleaning, painting, refurnishing and rebuilding -- sweat equity donated by dozens of volunteers -- the old building began to transform into a beautiful, bright space. With its opening only days away, Dodington and Wettergreen are both pleased and excited with how everything has come together:

Ed Schipul, as he congratulated us on such an endeavor joked "Congratulations; what were you thinking?" We had those moments every night. Having full time jobs turned our free time into mandatory 7:00 a.m. production meetings and post-9/5 all night work sessions in order to bring this space to fruition. Our personal relationships were stretched to limits that we never would have explored had we not gone through this situation. But without fail, we have been the rock that each other has depended on when all said and done and the daily meetings are done. And although we live and breathe Caroline, the space would not exist without the support from the community and we cannot wait for the day when we get to celebrate this with everyone that has contributed an idea, advice, financial support, back-breaking labor, supplies, equipment, furniture, time and mindspace.

For those who want to participate in the Caroline Collective, membership can be obtained in several different ways and at several different prices. It's always free, of course, to drop by during normal office hours and partake in some Wi-Fi, power outlets, coffee and conversation. However, if you're dropping by at least three times a week you'll be asked to become an official Laptop Nomad. Nomads pay $125 per month for a place to park their laptops five days a week, access to food and beverages and even showers!

Up the ladder are Professional Pilgrims and Coworking Cohabitors. For $300 per month, Pilgrims get a designated desk with lock and key, a parking spot and 24/7 access to the Collective while Cohabitors pay between $400 and $600 per month for a private, customizable office and priority use of the conference rooms and other facilities. Of course, these are only a few of the material benefits that come with a membership; the positive sense of community and creative environment that the Caroline Collective offers aren't as tangible but are, if anything, more important than free Wi-Fi.

Saturday's grand opening celebration promises to be just that -- a celebration. ArtStorm is cohosting the event along with the Caroline Collective, with featured local collage artist Patrick Turk in attendance to promote the upcoming Kaleidoscoptical Super Revolution! that will be shown in the Collective's gallery space this summer.

With the brew crew from St. Arnold pouring the pints and the guys from Tito's pouring the shots, Don't Fight It spinning beats and chef David Grossman serving up bountiful bites, the Caroline Collective will be the place to be found on Saturday night. Other sponsors include Clive's and Beaver's + Green Drinks, who will be serving nibbles and organic drinks, and Blog Catalog. Come out and meet the new tenants and cohabitants, the founders and many of Houston's brightest minds while you take a tour of the Caroline Collective and experience the new frontier of coworking for yourself. As Dodington and Wettergreen put it:

This is not going to be an exhale for us, however; simply the biggest milestone in our lives. Looking forward, we still feel tasked with seeing through the successful creation of a location that serves the entire Houston creative community.

Photos courtesy of flickr user cosmopolitician.

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The Caroline Collective
Grand Opening: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
4820 Caroline Street
281.687.7515