That sounds like an amazing idea. Relay should advertise it as an opportunity to get the local business community together to support each other. I have been to Detroit on a few occasions and I love it there. Detroit is a no bullshit kind of town. People maintained a real sense of community despite the economic shift.
What I believe the last couple of years of economic turmoil has taught allot of people is that ultimately we can only count on ourselves, and our immediate community. The corporate interest exists primarily to serve those at the highest levels.
Recently I have been more conscious of the smaller more intimate local business that fuel Baltimore's economy. When I shop I choose to go to a local small family owned operation, Tonight I got my first couple of pints of Dinobites Ice Cream, vs. the Ben&Jerry's, owned by a MD businessman, and I just cut up my Wal-Mart and Target cards a few weeks back.
Times have changed, and I think its in our best interest to support the new business minds. Icrontic is a great example of what a few talented guys can pull off if they put their mind to it. When you get a few other business people in the same bar room, all looking to make their own way in the world, only good things can happen. Keep exchanging those ideas, keep supporting your local business, and it will reciprocate in support for what you do.
So many people wallow in their own misery about the state of the economy, but you all are out there rebuilding it. Frankly, I would rather have a group of fresh young new thinkers take over. I think this country has been beaten to hell by greedy old men, its time for a changing of the guard.
For those that make it big, never forget where you came from.
Cheers to that, Cliff! I'm proud of where I'm from, and I couldn't agree with you more about your thoughts on the new wave of capitalism; I have been more conscious of choosing local goods, I try to get people to support Michigan businesses as much as possible, and I DO think small business needs to make a comeback.
Corporate America was an "all eggs in one basket" problem- when you drop the basket, everything you had is destroyed. Time to diversify a little bit
I can only imagine how motivating a session like this can be. I'd love to get something like that going around here. Too bad I live in BFE.
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited April 2009
Now that's a work environment! What a great idea. "...all Michigan microbrews on tap..." That's remarkable. I'm afraid I wouldn't get much work done. I'd also have to bring a designated driver with me.
I grew up in Cleveland, but don't hold that against me! There is something very special about midwesterners in their work ethic and attitudes. Although I love Texas, I still miss Cleveland and the midwest.
If you guys are in Austin, you must try out Alamo Draft House. Good movies, 100 beers.
Sorry, a bit off topic, but I saw Detroit and beer and had to comment!
I'll chime in to second the Alamo Draft House recommendation. Austin is one of the best cities in the country for beer, movies, music, and general good times. I lament the day I ever had to leave.
That said, wish I could come to a Co-Working. I do get a lot more done with other people around, but usually only if we're working on the same things - otherwise they fail to crack the whip on me.
Hahah how could I hold growing up in Cleveland against you; I'm from DETROIT
I agree though; I've noticed the same attitude in Chicago, and in friends from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York.
We get shit done. Sometimes the dirty way, but we get shit done.
All of our grandparents were either miners, steelworkers, or factory workers, I think that has a lot to do with it.
That is SO true. My great grandfather was a coal miner. Fact, crushed his legs in the mines.
And if your Dad was anything like mine, he had saying after saying. One was "behind every great looking lawn is a tired teenager." I was the tired teenager. Funny, I look back and I worked my ass off everywhere! I even worked on a frickin' farm for a while. Now that's real work.
People ask me about things being tough, and I look back and think, I got it easy, my parents and their parents had it tough.
I grew up in Cleveland, but don't hold that against me! There is something very special about midwesterners in their work ethic and attitudes. Although I love Texas, I still miss Cleveland and the midwest.
If you guys are in Austin, you must try out Alamo Draft House. Good movies, 100 beers.
Sorry, a bit off topic, but I saw Detroit and beer and had to comment!
I spent a Winter in Cleveland, it was supposed to be a promotion, LOL....
When I told a customer where I was going for a few months, he said "who did you piss off". True story, I had no idea what I was in for.
Cleveland great town, but east of the lake during the winter is absolute madness. Its like it never stops snowing, never a blizzard, but just this constant annoying two inch a day lake effect add on to the mess your already had. One day I got stuck in the snow, OH state trooper helped me out, but picked on me in the process for being a snow noob. I was a real fish out of water, but I loved the town, the flats, the general layout of the downtown area. Cleveland is one of the few major cities I have been to that you can actually drive and find your way around in. The Rock Hall is awesome, the sports fans are awesome, the bar food is top notch, but the seafood, better leave that to Baltimore Hon!!
Today I trudged around down town South Bend looking for local business that would let me get a coffee, leech wifi and get work done. I settled down at a chocolate cafe. It was great. Got emails fully taken care of and started a new article.
I'm going back tomorrow morning for more. And I've talked to some friends and coworkers and it seems monday morning will be the South Bend co-working day. I can't wait!
I've caught the bug. I'm going to try and support local business as much as possible. Not only does it simply make sense, but there is so much greatness hidden away in the many local business that surround us. Some local shops are just great, in service and product alike.
I love this idea. Seems there is plenty of real estate opportunities (and more to come as unemployment payments run out). I like what <a href="http://citizenspace.us/" rel="nofollow">Citizen Space</a> is doing. They have whiteboards, coffee, a conference room. The materials could be really raw. Reuse/Reclaimed wood could make up the desks. No server hosting, but tap into an Amazon S3 account or similar for file sharing. If the price could be worked out to $10/day, I would love to have access to a space that has all the magazines just like Barnes and Noble, but a completely relaxed space...maybe with a courtyard. Anyone want to seriously pursue this?
I love this idea -- I will definitely join this group at Forans the next Sunday I am in town. Thanks to Brian for putting this together.
I also love Amy's Idea of a communal space. If the commute were not more than 30 minutes from Northville -- I'd work there 2-3 days a week for sure and would be happy to contribute.
I'd love to join you guys (Can't at the moment, but would love to)
Of course, i'm also giddy with excitement to see the inevitable beer knocked over on top of computer incident. The question is which is more cringe worthy? The drowned computer, or the loss of precious alcohol?
Resurrecting a moribund thread, but: Whatever happened to co-working in the D? I never made it, because I'm a cruddy work-at-home shut-in. But, I'm suddenly and inexplicably interested in it again (and my wife works at Wayne State, now, so I could carpool), so... whassup?
I don't see why we couldn't resurrect this, though now co-working in the D could happen in our house. We have the space and bandwidth, that's for sure o.O
I don't see why we couldn't resurrect this, though now co-working in the D could happen in our house. We have the space and bandwidth, that's for sure o.O
Hey, there's a small business for ya! A co-worker and I keep chatting about starting a gaming cafe since the local one shut down, but making it multi-use space with rentable smart conference rooms and maybe a small joe-and-dough (coffee and doughnut shop) nestled in the middle. Don't think it'll happen any time soon, but it could be a sweet business.
primesuspect
Beepin n' BoopinDetroit, MI Icrontian
Comments
I want to go do this SO bad.
Every time I go to Icrontic I get incredible amounts of work done. I'd give anything to do that regularly.
What I believe the last couple of years of economic turmoil has taught allot of people is that ultimately we can only count on ourselves, and our immediate community. The corporate interest exists primarily to serve those at the highest levels.
Recently I have been more conscious of the smaller more intimate local business that fuel Baltimore's economy. When I shop I choose to go to a local small family owned operation, Tonight I got my first couple of pints of Dinobites Ice Cream, vs. the Ben&Jerry's, owned by a MD businessman, and I just cut up my Wal-Mart and Target cards a few weeks back.
Times have changed, and I think its in our best interest to support the new business minds. Icrontic is a great example of what a few talented guys can pull off if they put their mind to it. When you get a few other business people in the same bar room, all looking to make their own way in the world, only good things can happen. Keep exchanging those ideas, keep supporting your local business, and it will reciprocate in support for what you do.
So many people wallow in their own misery about the state of the economy, but you all are out there rebuilding it. Frankly, I would rather have a group of fresh young new thinkers take over. I think this country has been beaten to hell by greedy old men, its time for a changing of the guard.
For those that make it big, never forget where you came from.
Corporate America was an "all eggs in one basket" problem- when you drop the basket, everything you had is destroyed. Time to diversify a little bit
There's no geography in Michigan. It left too when the economy crashed.
If you guys are in Austin, you must try out Alamo Draft House. Good movies, 100 beers.
Sorry, a bit off topic, but I saw Detroit and beer and had to comment!
I agree though; I've noticed the same attitude in Chicago, and in friends from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York.
We get shit done. Sometimes the dirty way, but we get shit done.
All of our grandparents were either miners, steelworkers, or factory workers, I think that has a lot to do with it.
That said, wish I could come to a Co-Working. I do get a lot more done with other people around, but usually only if we're working on the same things - otherwise they fail to crack the whip on me.
And if your Dad was anything like mine, he had saying after saying. One was "behind every great looking lawn is a tired teenager." I was the tired teenager. Funny, I look back and I worked my ass off everywhere! I even worked on a frickin' farm for a while. Now that's real work.
People ask me about things being tough, and I look back and think, I got it easy, my parents and their parents had it tough.
I spent a Winter in Cleveland, it was supposed to be a promotion, LOL....
When I told a customer where I was going for a few months, he said "who did you piss off". True story, I had no idea what I was in for.
Cleveland great town, but east of the lake during the winter is absolute madness. Its like it never stops snowing, never a blizzard, but just this constant annoying two inch a day lake effect add on to the mess your already had. One day I got stuck in the snow, OH state trooper helped me out, but picked on me in the process for being a snow noob. I was a real fish out of water, but I loved the town, the flats, the general layout of the downtown area. Cleveland is one of the few major cities I have been to that you can actually drive and find your way around in. The Rock Hall is awesome, the sports fans are awesome, the bar food is top notch, but the seafood, better leave that to Baltimore Hon!!
Today I trudged around down town South Bend looking for local business that would let me get a coffee, leech wifi and get work done. I settled down at a chocolate cafe. It was great. Got emails fully taken care of and started a new article.
I'm going back tomorrow morning for more. And I've talked to some friends and coworkers and it seems monday morning will be the South Bend co-working day. I can't wait!
I've caught the bug. I'm going to try and support local business as much as possible. Not only does it simply make sense, but there is so much greatness hidden away in the many local business that surround us. Some local shops are just great, in service and product alike.
I also love Amy's Idea of a communal space. If the commute were not more than 30 minutes from Northville -- I'd work there 2-3 days a week for sure and would be happy to contribute.
Theresa Farmer
Of course, i'm also giddy with excitement to see the inevitable beer knocked over on top of computer incident. The question is which is more cringe worthy? The drowned computer, or the loss of precious alcohol?
A co-worker and I keep chatting about starting a gaming cafe since the local one shut down, but making it multi-use space with rentable smart conference rooms and maybe a small joe-and-dough (coffee and doughnut shop) nestled in the middle. Don't think it'll happen any time soon, but it could be a sweet business.