Meet Angela Valavanis of Creative Coworking in Edgewater and Evanston

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Valavanis.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Angela. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I opened the Downtown Evanston location of Creative Coworking six years ago, after working from home just long enough to realize I didn’t like working from home! There wasn’t a coworking business in Evanston at the time, so I decided to open one. Now, we have a steady membership of about 100 people, so I decided I was ready to open a second location.

We are currently renovating the historic Colvin House mansion on Sheridan Road (at Thorndale) to be the second location of Creative Coworking. It’s a stunning building that had fallen into disrepair. I’m so happy to be able to repurpose it in such a way that the whole community can benefit from it. I look forward to opening our doors there later this summer.

Has it been a smooth road?
I consider myself an accidental entrepreneur–I needed something, so I made it and shared it with others. I don’t have a business degree–I’m an editor by trade, with a degree in Literature–so many things about opening a business were new skills I had to learn. That has been challenging at times, to say the least.

I feel much more confident as a business owner now, as I open my second location. I’ve been able to adjust my business model along the way, based on feedback from members of my first location and the many visitors we’ve had to the office through networking events. I know that what I offer in my spaces is something that people need: independence without isolation.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
The thing people comment on most as they walk through our doors is the beauty of the space. I don’t just want to set up a basic office with desks in a room, I enjoy creating a beautiful atmosphere that will inspire people to be creative and productive. Our Evanston location doubles as a local art gallery, with art by over 50 local artists on display. We host a bimonthly art & wine night to showcase the gallery.

The Edgewater location is a work of art in itself. The building is a 1909 mansion designed by Prairie Style architect George Maher. We opened our doors for the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House Chicago event last October, and 4,000 people came through to see it those two days! We look forward to participating again this year, post-renovation.

Our spaces need to be practical as well as beautiful, of course. We provide all the business services one expects from a coworking space, and we offer a nice variety of spaces, from single offices to larger meeting rooms and plenty of shared workspace in between.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’m excited to join the Edgewater neighborhood. I’ve had the warmest of welcomes from the local Alderman’s office, the Chamber of Commerce, the Historical Society, and many other neighborhood associations.

Getting started has been a struggle, however, due to the complicated nature of my project. I had to get the building rezoned from residential to commercial, which was a lengthy process, and then the renovation has taken far longer than I’d hoped at each stage since then, from getting permits to having inspectors come check our progress. I do think the City of Chicago could streamline some systems to be friendlier toward small business owners.

Pricing:

• 3 visits: $75/mo
• 6 visits: $150/mo
• 10 visits: $200/mo
• 15 visits: $250/mo
• Unlimited Use: $300/mo
• Reserved Desk: $350/mo

Contact Info:

• Address: Downtown Evanston: 922 Davis Street, Evanston, IL, 60201
  Edgewater: 5940 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL, 60660
• Website: www.creativecoworking.com
• Phone: 847-563-7264
• Email: info@creativecoworking.com
• Instagram: CCoworking
• Facebook: facebook.com/CreativeCoworking
• Twitter: @CCoworking

Image Credit:
Annette Patko
Bordeaux Studio

Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.