Friday, October 11, 2019

[EXCLUSIVE] Roam to Open Second Buckhead Location in 2020

Atlanta-based co-working business Roam Innovative Workplace plans to open its sixth overall shared office in Buckhead next year.  The nearly 20,000 square foot co-working space will open in Lenox Marketplace, along Peachtree Road in Buckhead, across from Phipps Plaza.  The size and location identified on permits filed with the City of Atlanta suggest that the new Roam is opening in a portion of the former Pirch kitchen & bath showroom on the second floor of the sprawling shopping center.  

Atlanta-based Roam, which opened their first facility in 2008, today includes locations in Buckhead at Tower Place, Alpharetta, their original, Dunwoody, Galleria and Sandy Springs.  The new location continues the trend established with the prior five locations in that all are located on the second floor of their respective complexes or centers.  This willingness to take second tier space, which undoubtedly comes at a significantly lower rent rate, has likely aided the private company in its disciplined growth.  

Permits filed with the City of Atlanta suggest that just over $3 million will be spent converting the former appliance showroom to suit the needs of the shared office space provider.  Roam will be at least the fourth tenant in the space following the closures of Pirch, Filene's Basement and dekor.  

Roam's opening at Lenox Marketplace puts it across the street from another recently opened co-working business, Kefi.  Conceptualized and funded via a Chick-fil-A-backed affiliate, Kefi opened August 31 in Buckhead Triangle where it replaced what was most recently an hhgregg electronics and appliance store.  Kefi, which is part co-working space, part toy store, and part coffee shop, hired at least one executive from Roam to help launch the new business.  Corey Wardell , formerly VP, Finance & Operations at Roam, now holds the same title at Kefi.  

The addition of a second Roam in Buckhead comes at a pivotal time in the co-working world.  WeWork, once seen by many as a brilliant business run by a visionary entrepreneur, is now facing the risk of bankruptcy, and its founder, Adam Neumann, is now being compared to disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.  

Buckhead is, after all, already home to several WeWork and Industrious locations as well as the upscale No. 18  in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta and Eleanor's Place, a women only co-working space in Paces Ferry Plaza near Houston's Restaurant, both of which debuted earlier this summer.  

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, which in July announced plans to open at Lenox Marketplace, has not yet filed any permits, according to records on file with the City of Atlanta.  The Wilmington, Delaware-based restaurant operator plans to open next summer in the street level space once home to Pirch, as well as part of an adjacent space.  According to the Iron Hill website, the brewpub still plans to open in summer 2020.  

Sources say that Roam is targeting an early spring opening.  


Do you currently use any of the current Atlanta area co-working facilities?  Have you tried then and have a favorite?  Are you excited for the planned openings at Lenox Marketplace?

Please share your thoughts below  

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Really like Roam. I think this is a great idea and a great location. Other spot in Buckhead has partial-day vouchers for parking.

Always rubbed me the wrong way had to pay or move the car midday for another voucher.

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