HubCo launches co-working space in Cape Girardeau

Amanda and Matt Huber have opened HubCo, a two-story, 8,400-square-foot business offering coworking spaces at 1427 Thomas Drive in Cape Girardeau.

Amanda has been a Realtor with Edge Realty for 10 years.

Husband Matt is territory manager with Liberty Utilities.

"We wanted a venture that coincided with my real estate business," said Amanda, a 2004 Woodland High School graduate who later earned her undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State University.

"I know a lot of people through my association with Business Networking International (BNI) Profit Masters' chapter. I guess you could say there's not a whole lot of options for small-business owners to rent an office which includes all utilities and some other services included in monthly rent," she added.

HubCo, which launched with a May 19 ribbon-cutting, is seemingly part of an entrepreneurial wave of businesspeople investing in a growing niche business across the U.S.

HubCo opened May 19 at 1427 Thomas Drive in Cape Girardeau. The coworking space building is owned and operated by Amanda and Matt Huber.Submitted

HubCo opened May 19 at 1427 Thomas Drive in Cape Girardeau. The coworking space building is owned and operated by Amanda and Matt Huber.Submitted

Idea

"(Coworking spaces) have become increasingly popular over the last decade for various reasons," according to www.thecannon.com, a Houston-based platform supporting coworking spaces and innovation.

"Freelancers, remote work employees and so-called 'digital nomads' are often thought of as the common inhabitants of such spaces. The number of distractions can be endless when you're at home, so a coworking space provides increased productivity, client meeting rooms, a professional mailing address and sociability in the work environment. It all promotes a sense of community, camaraderie and collaboration. More to the point, coworking spaces save on overhead costs."

HubCo's promotional video points out the business' coworking space is "conveniently located" between the downtown business districts of Cape Girardeau County's two largest cities, Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

"(HubCo) has fast reliable internet so everyone can stay connected, and with lots of offices for lots of businesses."

HubCo offers its members safe and secure keyless entry 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with other benefits included in the rent, the video's narrator continues.

• Coffee, water and snacks.
• Printing, scanning and copying.

Hubco offers four levels of membership: basic, dedicated desks, private offices and private shared offices.

A view inside an office at Cape Girardeau's HubCo. The new venture, owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Matt and Amanda Huber, opened May 19.Submitted

A view inside an office at Cape Girardeau's HubCo. The new venture, owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Matt and Amanda Huber, opened May 19.Submitted

Codefi

The area's first coworking space, Codefi, opened in 2014 and is now located in downtown Cape Girardeau's Marquette Tower.

"Whether you need a private office or just a chair and a desk, we have it," according to www.codefiworks.com. "More than just beautiful workspaces, we're a community combining our collective talents to create success and make each other better. The space just looks cool and there's coffee and stuff."

Rationale

Amanda Huber said engaging a coworking space allows people to focus on what ultimately matters.

"I think about the time that goes into managing an office space. (HubCo) won't maintain your laptops but we'll make sure the printer is full of paper and in working order. We'll manage the utilities so you can be certain the building has power and that the internet is up and running. All of this and more, we take off your desk so you can spend more time actually doing your work and be more productive," she said.

Concept

"I've been kind of surprised at the number of people who had no idea what I was talking about when we said we were opening a coworking space," said Amanda Huber, who said HubCo has 10 dedicated desks with lockable cabinets and 13 private offices.

HubCo's space options and pricing levels are available at www.hubcocape.com or by calling (573) 275-7428.

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