For the past few years, a meteoric rise in coworking commercial spaces has shaped where and how Black professionals work. Brooklyn’s Black-woman-owned Babel Loft is taking the thriving trend one step further.
There seems to be something exceptional about coworking spaces. What was once considered a specialized product has now become an evolving workplace dynamic that shows no signs of slowing down. Although the concept has existed since the 90s, these commercial spaces have recently experienced a huge surge in popularity. Research from Axios shows that in 2015, there were about 331,000 people using coworking spaces in the U.S. This number grew to approximately 1.08 million in 2022, a sector now set to steadily grow by 13% each year.
While an evolving interpersonal dynamic has set off a resurgence of coworking sites across the nation, few U.S. cities have experienced as much success and growth in this space as New York City. In a town of booming entrepreneurship, hybrid work policies and exorbitant rent, not only have these stations become a phenomenon for workers who don’t want to return to the office or work in isolation post-pandemic, but coworking is extremely budget-friendly and provides a wonderful sense of community.
Now, the coworking business model is expanding even more with the launch of Babel Loft, a Brooklyn-based professional lounge uniquely reimagined with the needs of small, Black-owned businesses in mind.
Owned and operated by sisters Myriam and Marva Babel, Babel Loft is the sequel to Ode to Babel, a cocktail bar they founded in 2015 that became a popular destination and respite for the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. This latest endeavor, a members-only co-work space that caters to professionals of color, is poised to be just as highly favored.
Positioned only a stone’s throw away from Ode to Babel’s original location in Prospect Heights (it closed in June of last year), the new communal space draws on inspiration from the bar, offering perks that include generous layouts for day-to-night business responsibilities and networking meetups, a customized open-concept members space, ground-floor cafe, first-choice access to special events and priority reservations for the Babel Loft’s resident chef. Just like the original bar, the Babel Loft atmosphere encourages relaxation and comfort, the perfect haven for buzzing, Black-owned businesses, creatives and freelancers to choose and cultivate ventures and projects they care about, all while occupied in a fabulous fusion of community and culture.
The artfully curated decor at Babel Loft is a concept of vintage 1980s Art-Deco vibes layered with cool, contemporary energy. The space is filled with thoughtful selections of furnishings, artwork and literature that beautifully honors the abundance of Black history. The assembly and governance of the artwork, specifically, took place under the tutelage of Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels of the gallery We Buy Gold and fashion stylist Lorri Sendel of W.S. Archives. Photography from award-winning photographer Tyler Mitchell and paintings by the great Barkley L. Hendricks seamlessly line the walls. The Babel sisters are even planning an in-house bar that exclusively offers BIPOC and queer-made liquor in addition to Babel Loft’s own private-label spirits.
Looking ahead, the future of Babel Loft is excitingly bright. While prospective members are currently invited to apply (a heads-up: their wait list is already rapidly growing), they are not in the business of merely leasing space.
They afford an experience, one that’s driving a new platform for the diversity and power of the modern Black business.
