Sunlight is flooding an industrial loft in Minneapolis' North Loop neighborhood. The oversized American flag draped on the white brick wall looks as stylish as it does patriotic. The Norseman rhubarb gin on the bar cart in the corner of the room looks inviting, but it's only 2 p.m.
Without even taking note of the camera equipment, styling props and sewing machines around the large space, you'd still get the feeling that creative people are at work.
Meet The COMN
The COMN is a communal workspace that was launched by six Midwestern creatives across the design, fashion, editorial and photography industries.
To get to know these guys collectively, you have to get to know them individually, so we sat down with the whole crew and first asked them to share a little bit about themselves, how they wound up in the Twin Cities in the first place and why they have made the Midwest home.
Kate Arends
Kate, designer lifestyle blogger behind Wit & Delight, is a bit of an Internet celebrity, thanks in part to her 2.6 million Pinterest followers, recent collaboration with Target and unfailing good taste. She moved to Minneapolis eight years ago from the Chicago 'burbs by way of Iowa. "I have a lot of Midwestern DNA and that's a really important part of who I am. In 2006, I thought I needed to be in New York to run a business like mine, but it just goes to show that things change."
Melissa Oholendt
Melissa (of Melissa Oholendt Photography) found her way to Minneapolis from Utah. "We moved eight years ago for my husband's law school. I wasn't in the creative industry at the time so I built that here. We actually had an opportunity to move to San Diego this year and there was this trepidation to leave the people that felt like family. That's definitely worked to keep us here... and winters are working against us."
Lisa Hackwith
Lisa, a Wisconsin native, runs her clothing company Hackwith Design House from a buzzing corner of the space that's filled with her stylishly minimal and modern designs. After college in Minneapolis, Lisa recalls, "I had these grand ideas of living in bigger cities and tried that for a little while, but in the process I realized how much I love the Twin Cities. I moved back, I met my husband and I've been able to model my business around living here."
Paul Vincent
A born and raised Minnesotan, photographer Paul grew up in Eden Prairie, a suburb of Minneapolis — "the big city was a whole 20 minutes away!" After a stint in Colorado, he and his wife moved home to be closer to family, "I love the outdoors so Colorado was great, but that same sort of vibe lives here too. You sometimes have to be a little more purposeful about finding it, but it's definitely there."
Rita Mehta
Brand consultant and blogger behind The American Edit, Rita wound up in the Twin Cities for a job, though the Cleveland native never really planned to stay long-term. "I had this 18-month plan that I told my husband about on our first date — that was eight years ago," she jokes, and it's clear this corner of the Midwest has grown on her. "And we just bought a house so I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that we're really staying." She also admits, "I sound really Minnesotan when I'm hungover."
Matt Lien
Matt grew up in northern Minnesota and currently travels quite a bit for his photography work. "I've always contemplated moving away. When you're in these beautiful places, it's easy to think, 'Wait, why do I live in Minnesota again?' But to echo everybody else, it's the people. The people keep me grounded here and make me realize there's something special about the community here, personally and professionally, that's so different from a lot of places."
The gang's all here
Last year, these six small business owners decided to trade in the pajamas and bad habits that they picked up while working from home and create a more productive space together. Of The COMN's origins, Rita recalls, "One day Lisa and I started talking about how we both hated working from home. So that day we came to the conclusion that we should get a space together someday... and then the next day she had a whole list of places ready for us to rent! (This isn't out of the ordinary that Lisa has an idea and the next day it's fully executed.) Anyway, then we got everybody together and went for it. It gives us a reason to shower everyday."
While the group collaborates on projects somewhat regularly, the space is first and foremost a place for their individual businesses to thrive away from their respective dining room tables. The COMN also offers co-working options for fellow creatives, including full-time desk rental and workspace at the community table, which was designed and built by Matt with the help of local woodworker and metalworker Marvin Freitas.
"I think we're still trying to identify our collective position in the community since we all run our own independent businesses," explains Melissa. "We've toyed with some workshops and events to foster community here in our space. Eventually we'd love to do more."
Fueling the Midwest's makers
As we sit around the conference room table at The COMN, we start discussing the modern maker movement and try to put a finger on what fuels the Midwest's creative culture, eventually landing on practicality.
With Rita's work on The American Edit, she meets a lot of makers from all over the country, giving her a unique, inside/outside perspective on the subject. "There's this inherent practicality of the Midwest that is really interesting. As opposed to doing things to get famous or build some kind of empire, people are making and doing for the sake of it," she says thoughtfully. "The other funny thing is that in the Midwest no one wants to talk about what they are doing. I get emails from California and New York constantly, yet people I actually know will be starting some amazing company and they don't even tell me about it." Then Kate chimes in, "I sometimes wonder if we're influenced by our proximity (or lack thereof) to the places where trends typically emerge. The Internet makes us closer, but we sort of have to do our own thing up here."
The new networking
"I met everyone in this room on the Internet," says Kate, gesturing to her COMN family. "To see Twitter relationships turn into business relationships and friendships and real, tangible things just shows how different the world is now than just a few years ago. And the Twin Cities is one of those places where the community lifts people up and really supports creative endeavors. I think The COMN is a good representation of how people are networking now — the next phase of how people come together and work."
Coming up
As you can imagine with six (or more) businesses operating under one roof, there's always a lot going on around The COMN. Lisa is about to launch a new HDH Swim collection. Matt has been working on a cookbook with Chef Sameh Wadi of Saffron and World Street Kitchen. Paul's been doing some big shoots with Juut Salonspa. Rita has been working with Wison & Willy's on some great things to come. Melissa is helping put together a new non-profit wedding showcase in May called Styled for Good. And Kate always has a project or thirty in the works.
For now, the crew is mum on the few COMN projects they have cooking together, and that's okay. They've got a heck of a lot on their plates. We'll be following along — and quite possibly booking a spot at the communal table very soon.
Words by Annie D'Souza
Photos by Cadence Cornelius
