By Ashley Alford
Grinding out the 9-to-5 workday made famous by Dolly Parton isn’t how business gets done these days.
More and more small businesses are starting in Putnam County, and many of them are run out of a dining room rather than a boardroom. The owners of these small businesses need a place to meet clients and conduct important meetings—a need that wasn’t being met in one of West Virginia’s fastest-growing counties until recently.
That’s where AREA 34, the latest business-friendly project of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, comes in.
AREA 34 lobby. Photo by Kelli Dailey.
“The Putnam Chamber envisioned AREA 34 as a way to add value—not only for chamber members but the community as a whole,” says Brian Moore, chair of the visioning committee for the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors. “AREA 34 houses the chamber and other executive offices, and it also includes an innovative coworking space where business professionals and entrepreneurs can focus on their work, collaborate with others if desired, enjoy the in-house coffee shop and be near a lot of local restaurants and other businesses.”
AREA 34 serves the needs of self-employed entrepreneurs and business/sales professionals who work in varying locations. Other individuals needing flexible working space can also benefit from the convenience of the space. In addition to offering a place to work, AREA 34 provides the opportunity to collaborate and network with like-minded individuals as well as experts in other fields.
It includes a shared, comfortable and modern coworking space with individual and group desks and a casual lounge area. Monthly coworking memberships include up to 40 complementary hours of private work pod and conference room reservations and access to Wi-Fi, printing and copying, projectors, mail service and conference phone systems. In essence, this space has everything needed to launch or grow a business.
Photo by Kelli Dailey.
“AREA 34 gives me the opportunity to come in and out of the office between sales calls and do my work,” says AREA 34 member Scott Fraser of GlobalTranz. “With three young children, it is sometimes difficult to work from home. The private working stations give me an opportunity to accomplish my goals for the day.”
The space also provides daily conference room rentals. If a team needs to get out of its normal environment for a special training or planning session, AREA 34 has the necessary room. Its comfortable and relaxing environment is designed to encourage creative thinking and collaboration. The space can be used for special events, meetings and more.
About the Author
Ashley Alford is president of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. A Putnam native and graduate of West Virginia University, she has used her degree in public relations and business administration as the chairwoman for Generation West Virginia and Generation Putnam. Alford serves on boards for the Putnam County Parks and Recreation Commission and Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is a 2013 graduate of Leadership West Virginia and a 2015 Wonder Woman recipient.
