My little series on German and international coworking spaces continues. This time I checked out the newly established Birojnica in Riga, Latvia. It is not only the first, but also the only coworking space in the Latvian capital so far - with an interesting one Business-Concept.

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The location

This time I checked out the newly established Birojnica in Riga, Latvia. It is not only the first, but also the only coworking space in the Latvian capital so far - with an interesting business concept and free Meeting-Space.

The Birojnica makes a good first impression: it is located in the middle of the Berga Bazars, a gallery with cafes and small exclusive shops not too far from the main station.

A few coworkers are sitting in front of the Birojnica and working in the sun, in the area  for sure very pleasant.

The first impression

Inside, too, the impression is very positive: a bright room with tables where people work with laptops. One also has a large computer with large screen brought along. A bar where drinks are served. Only the bright, simple, curved wooden chairs look for hour-long sitting to work once again quite uncomfortable.

The fact that the room reminds rather of a cafe with bookstore is no accident: in fact, Birojnica is exactly that: a coworking space, which arose within a bookstore with an attached cafe. This is exactly the business concept, as my co-founder Marcis Rubenis tells me.

International search for the best business model

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Rubenis (in the upper part of the picture) has founded Birojnica together with Rolands Puhovs (bottom right), Sandris Murins, Lauris Baltiš, Maris Berziš. The five have traveled all over Europe to look at existing coworking spaces in other European cities and find the best business model for themselves.

“Some coworkers said it works well, others have Problem, your Costs to get in,” explains Rubenis. “We wanted to be careful there”.

Wanted: A pragmatic solution

Because the coworkingIdea is simply not that well known in Latvia: “Many people think the idea is a good one, because when they work at home they feel the blanket Head falls." But the Latvians, says Rubenis, are also very pragmatic and frugal: “No one pays 200 euros or more a month for one here Workplace. "

So you have to ask for one Solution wanted, the customers to make a really good offer – and finally the Satori, which previously had a bookshop with a café, offered this as the solution:

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Idea arose from personal needs

“We go where people already work. Speak to a bookstore café like Satori. People then pay a few euros to get better service and work, ”explains Rubenis.

The idea is from the personal needs of the Founders emerged: “I also worked at home as a freelancer,” says Rolandis Puvhos. In the beginning it was also very productive. But then he did everything, just not working.. "We thought: A lot of people have this problem."

Cheaper and with free meeting room

A few euros, which are converted 5 Euro a day, 9 Euro a week and about 30 Euro a month. This makes the Birojnica much cheaper than all the coworking spaces tested so far, which cost a month between 150 and 230 a month.

However, users are given the opportunity to use the printer and the meeting room free of charge, if it is free. Only if you want to book, pay extra. Still the windowless back room of the café is not finished. And a file is also looked for in vain.

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Without a phone, but with a FacebookApp

I want to know whether WLAN and telephone are included in the price. “WiFi is free in most Latvian cafes anyway,” explains Rubinis. And telephone is not planned: “People simply don’t need it, today you wrap yours Communication over Internet away!"

Besides that for my needs would be more of a problem, but I like another idea very much: In Future all users who log in via the WLAN should be able to see who is currently online and who is currently available for cooperation.

Check in at Forsquare

You can then go to a Facebook-Log in to the app and get a badge for it - similar to 4sqare. The users should then be able to exchange information on current projects via the app.

Years of experience in application building and game design as well as experience in the PR area are behind the idea - that's actually what the five founders have been doing so far to earn.

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The income from the coworking space they share with the operators of the cafe. Already after a week they already have about 40 customers.

The main reason for this is that the coworking space was known throughout the city before it opened, and without any advertising, only through word of mouth, because, grins Marcis Rubenis, “everyone in Riga knows everyone anyway. ”

Whether the model would work anywhere?

I like the price of the Birojnica. But I'm not sure if something like that would work anywhere. If I imagine that the visitors in cafes, where they have worked so far for nothing, are now being asked to pay for their presence?

On the other hand, the café visitors no longer have to order anything to be able to work in peace. The day rate is cheaper than three coffees. And since I myself once with rüdem Tonfall from a cafe was thrown out, because I did not order in time, I really appreciate something.

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Cooperation partners wanted

And for many cafés, the so-called coffeehouse workers are an economic problem, as I have been told. So why not start a coworking cooperation right away and more Money to earn?

The founders of Birojnica have also recognized this and believe in the future viability of their idea. By the end of the year, according to Rubeni's ambitious plan, he wants to have established the model in five locations in Riga. He thinks not only of cafes, but also rather unusual workplaces like supermarkets. He is also looking for co-operation partners abroad.


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