Cebu restos, coffee shops on co-working space biz

CEBU, Philippines - Some restaurants and coffee shops in Cebu will soon enter the co-working space business, following the introduction of District on 53rd Co-working Spaces company.

Headed by entrepreneurs Kate Dychangco-Anzani and Michael Cubos, the partners initially converted the District on 53rd Cafe at the Filinvest Cyberzone, which is adjacent to Cebu IT Park, into a co-working space.

About 40 square-meter space is dedicated to co-working space at the coffee shop, equipped with high-speed internet, said Cubos in an interview.

Co-working is a style of work that involves a shared working environment, often an office, and independent activity. Unlike in a typical office environment, those co-working are usually not employed by the same organization.

This is the modern way of doing business, especially for start-up ventures, and highly mobile job nature, freelancers, and even medical and law students, and are treated to a different working ambience—a more relaxed, open, refreshing and creative atmosphere, where food and coffee are also readily available at the ground floor of the restaurant.

Thus, Cubos amd Anzani will soon launch a membership club for restaurants and coffee shops which may want to utilize their lull business times to convert them into co-working space.

Usually, early morning and after lunch are considered low customer traffic for some restaurants and coffee shops.

Cubos, who owns call center chain Performance 360 Call Center and BPO Services, and Anzani who also owns a chain of restaurants under the Anzani Group will convince other coffee shop and restaurant operators in Cebu to enter into co-working space business.

The duo will begin incorporating this business model to all restaurants affiliated with the Anzani Group —Anzani Restaurant, Gusto, and District on 53rd. Later on, they will invite more coffeeshops and restaurants to become a member of District on 53rd Co-working Spaces.

"The idea here is to make these coffee shops, and restaurants which are sometimes empty in the morning and early afternoon into productive facilities. We can invite freelancers, and startups who don't have their own offices to bring their work or meetings in the co-working space," said Cubos,

Earlier this month, Cubos and Anzani opened the second level of District on 53rd at Filinvest Cyberzone in Salinas Drive, Lahug as a co-working space. The facility can accommodate up to 30 persons and offers at least a 100Mbps.

Walk-in clients are charged P500 for the whole day use inclusive of 20 percent food discount. They also offer an average monthly membership fee of P8,000 to P9,000, part of the membership fee includes a dedicated seat, among other perks.

The years of Filipino freelancers renting out space and free connection in the form of an overly expensive coffee have been dying down with the emergence of Co-working spaces.

Co-working spaces are believed to be the modern day office — a place of solidarity to put the mind the right mood, but as a spot to network with people of the same interests, skills and business outlook – coffee included. (FREEMAN)