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'Starbucks without noise' MORE INFO
A new telework center in the Fredericksburg area, Business Playce, adds to workers' options with 'co-working'
Date published: 1/17/2009
BY KELLY HANNON Cheery yellow walls, hot pink doors and pieces by local artists greet teleworkers at Business Playce. Recently opened by salesmen David Brummer and Paul Delagrange, the rentable office-space facility in Spotsylvania County tries to liven up a day's work. Brummer and Delagrange work from home in Virginia and Maryland when they aren't traveling for Arbotek Associates, a technology and engineering sales firm. They were weary of trying to do business over the grinding whir of coffee-shop blenders, or working out of lonely office centers. So Delagrange, 41, rented commercial space near Ukrop's on State Route 3, and transformed it into Business Playce, a "co-working" telework office for 7 to 10 people, possibly more. "I describe this place to people as a Starbucks without the noise in the background," Delagrange said. " You can have a professional environment but get a little of the coffee-shop vibe." Before November, Delagrange worked out of rentable business suites in Fredericksburg. The environment was too lonely for him, he said. His office had no windows, and hours would pass without seeing another human. "I'm in sales, and I like talking to people. I like interaction," said Delagrange, who lives in Spotsylvania. Brummer lives in New Market, Md. Co-working encourages teleworkers to socialize during work breaks, to network and problem-solve, even if they work for different employers, Delagrange said. Business Playce has wipeable whiteboards positioned throughout the office for brainstorming. "If you're a Web developer and you have an idea you can put your idea up on the whiteboard and then allow other people to make comments. It's collaboration. It's a sense of community, and that's hopefully what we're trying to build here," Delagrange said. Business Playce's current clients include an attorney, a math tutor, a mediator and a Web site developer. Attorney Andrew Flusche found a posting for Business Playce online. He schedules time in the conference room, where there is privacy. Flusche moved to Spotsylvania 18 months ago, after graduating from law school at the University of Virginia. Flusche spends most of his work week in court, so he needs an office setting only a few hours a week. He can do all the online research, printing and faxing he needs from the telework office.
Date published: 1/17/2009
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