Co-Working Hub About Fostering Community, Focus

Walk into Acre Coffee, Peets or Apple Box on any given day and you’ll find people staring into their computer screens, an army of freelancers, remote employees and entrepreneurs without an office to report to each morning.

It’s a trend happening all over the country, as companies become more flexible about remote work and more entrepreneurs strike out on their own.

But starting next month, this army of office-less souls will have another option besides the local coffee house, as a new co-working space opens on Fourth Street, next to the Petaluma Historical Museum.

Simply called “Work", the new 3,200 square foot office will offer a communal work area with long tables, a conference room, lending library, kitchen and quiet office for use on a drop-in basis or by the week, month or longer.

“People who work from home often feel cutoff,” says Natasha Juliana, who is opening the new space with her husband Matt Moller. “Besides the office, we will be offering lectures by people doing interesting work, classes and networking events…It will be all the things you miss about working in an office.”

The space will include a copier, fax machine, printers and office supplies. Those who sign up for full access, will enjoy round-the-clock access and perks like mail service.

The couple view the co-sharing space as not only a chance for people to get out of their house, but also as a way to green the planet by reducing the number of commuters traveling between Sonoma County and San Francisco or Santa Rosa.

“A lot of people choose to live here because they love Petaluma, so why spend most of your day somewhere else?” says Juliana.

Juliana spent a decade working in architecture and design, while Moller’s background is in multimedia software. The couple is using their savings to get “Work” off the ground and say they believe it’s a concept that will resonate with Petaluma residents.

“So many people don’t want to work out of a coffee shop, but have nowhere to go,” Juliana says. “We want to create an environment that’s central and that fosters community. And keeps people off the road.”

Work is set to open in July at 10 Fourth Street. To find out more about Work, contact Natasha@workpetaluma.com

Have a news tip or interesting story idea? Send it to Local Editor Karina Ioffee at karina@patch.com