When Reggie Tan and Madaline Zannes moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake from Toronto last year, they wanted to find a way to separate their work from their home life.
Tan, a marketing officer, and Zannes, a lawyer, both work from home. And they noticed NOTL lacked a modern co-working space — an idea that has grown in popularity post-COVID with more people now working from home.
“It was very difficult to find an office space,” said Zannes. “A desk, even. It was pretty impossible.”
Then, an aha moment — they seized on the opportunity to fill that gap.
The couple has now launched NOTL’s first co-working office, Haven Workspace.
Located at 242 Mary St. beside Avondale on the second floor of the Garrison Plaza, the office serves as a professional hub for anyone who is looking for a place to work, Zannes said.
“When you work remotely, it’s great to be at home and all, but there comes a point where you need to get out and get productive,” she said.
The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and offers free parking, internet, meeting rooms and collaborative areas.
There is also a dedicated desk rental available, allowing workers to store their belongings in a locked space.
Zannes said the co-working space can also be helpful with professional networking, as working from home limits opportunities to connect with others both within and beyond your industry.
Haven also aims to be more than a co-working space, hosting weekly events and discussions.
Tuesday Mixers at 6 p.m. is a weekly networking event for members to connect, share ideas and collaborate in a casual setting.
On Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., there’s Haven Keynotes, where experts host AI-focused lectures on trending topics.
Coming up on Jan. 23 is a discussion on AI’s impact on careers and on Jan. 30, tips on integrating AI for business efficiency, hosted by Tan.
Memberships are now available in tiers, with perks for early supporters.
Those perks include discounted rates and an NFC metal card, a smart business card engraved with your name. It can be tapped on a smartphone to share your personalized digital business card and profile.
The early supporter rate for the Haven Flex and NFC Metal Card tier is $250 (nine per cent off $275) per month and $350 (12 per cent off $400) for the Haven Pro and NFC Metal Card tier.
As long as users maintain an active membership, they maintain the discounted rate.
For more information on membership rates, people can chat with Garrison, the AI assistant designed to help members learn more about Haven. It’s named after Garrison Plaza.
Garrison provides instant answers on amenities, pricing, availability and more through WhatsApp and the Telegram app.
To connect with Garrison, visit havenworkspace.ca, scroll down to the section titled “Meet Garrison, Your AI Assistant” and click the box to start a chat on either WhatsApp or Telegram.
With plans to stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake, not only as a business but also as residents, Zannes and Tan are looking forward to opening up more Haven locations in town in the future.
For those interested in joining, or booking a tour of the office, visit havenworkspace.ca.
