New business offers new twist in renting office space
HARTINGTON — A new business is bringing a big-city concept to downtown Hatington.
Town Square Offices and Wifi Lounge, owned by Travis and Racheal Folkers, at 205 N. Broadway Ave. offers a unique twist in renting space with many different options available for a daily, weekly or monthly lease.
The business is open every day, year round from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., with the main floor open to anyone during those business hours, featuring free wifi, live TV and lounge areas for all to enjoy, with board games and puzzles on hand.
“The whole space has free wifi, so you can come anytime and get work done, you don’t have to pay for anything,” she said, adding it's a great meeting place for people to pop in.
The main floor is also available to rent for large events, Racheal said.
There’s also four 10-foot-by-10-foot office suites behind a locked passcode available for lease. Each suite is fully furnished with a desk, executive chair and client chair. Two smaller 4-foot-by-6-foot offices are also available for lease on the main floor as well.
One business, Dunked & Disorderly, has already set up shop in one of the larger suites in the back of the business.
“Our job is just to manage the building. However she wants to run the business, she can,” Rachael said.
A local yoga instructor is interested in using the personal suite for client consultations or one-on-one sessions, she said.
“If you’ve got a big test to study for or a specific work project and need to shut away, these are perfect for that,” she said.
And that’s really how the business concept came about.
Racheal is a physician assistant and spent many hours studying, always looking for that perfect space to focus.
“I’ve done a lot of schooling so the whole time I was in school, there was never anywhere for me to go really that I could just shut away and get my work done,” she said. “And so I thought this community was really lacking that.”
The Folkers also were looking for space for their painting business, Folkers Painting. Travis was using their home’s two-car garage for the business’ equipment and now it all has a home with the painting business occupying the back and basement of the downtown location. RECO
There’s also a focus on giving back to the community, with a space to feature local charities and a way for people to donate to a different cause each month. RECO
“If you’re feeling it in your heart to bring something in, we’ll get it taken care of,” Racheal said of the most recent charity drive for the local food pantry. WHAT
Upstairs, there’s a two-bedroom apartment being currently leased, but there’s also space to add a short-term rental that the Folkers plan to list on Airbnb next year. WHAT
Renovation will begin in January with a goal of finishing the space in May. The short-term rental will sleep at least four and feature a full kitchen and bath, laundry area and walk-out deck.
The kitchen will be designed around an original (yet still functional) pulley elevator system.
The Folkers originally looked at the downtown location, the former Feilmeier Feed store, more than three years ago, purchasing it in June from Ben and Erin Schroeder.
The entire renovation was completed by Travis and Racheal, minus the electrical and plumbing, and looks pretty similar to how Racheal first envisioned the space through a sketch.
“It was a lot of time and sweat, a lot of late nights and fast food,” Racheal said.
The business has a midcentury modern feel with exposed beams and pipes, dark green paint and naturethemed wallpaper adding to the overall look.
A focal point is the I Spy board on the wall which has riddles for people to solve.
“He (Travis) thought I was crazy but it’s working out,” Rachael said. After finishing the
After finishing the renovation upstairs, the Folkers hope to update the building’s facade to restore the original brick.
The Folkers also plan to add a smart vending machine to feature local business wares.
“I’m a medicine person at baseline but I love the creative side of things as well,” Racheal said. “In the vending I would like to offer more than just snacks or drinks, like maybe a series of short stories or other artsy stuff.”
It may take some time for people to fully understand and utilize the space due to the business being a new concept but so far Racheal has been pleased with the response.
“People have been inquiring about bridal showers, graduations and family get togethers,” Racheal said. “We have yoga events in the pipeline, vendor shows and are looking into bringing in weekend events like tattoo, massage, mani/pedi, trivia nights, scrapbooking events, wine and cheese tastings. The options are endless and we are just getting started.”