The Basalt Chamber of Commerce recently opened Hack & Grind, a coworking space for small businesses needing an office, or remote workers looking for a place to work outside of their home.
Equipped with a conference room to rent out, individual desks and free advising from the Northwest Small Business Development Center, Kris Mattera, Basalt chamber's executive director, said Hack & Grind is a one-stop shop to help businesses and professionals grow.
"Our vision as a chamber is to create a small business hub and resource center," Mattera said. "So not only a place that you can come and work and get access to different resources, but also a place to come and learn and a place to connect."
Mattera said the idea for Hack & Grind, named after Basalt's railroad history, was conceived before the pandemic. Now, since many workers have transitioned to working from home, Mattera said Basalt needs a coworking space now more than ever.
"Since March, there's been a fundamental shift in how we work in general, and you're seeing people who are much more open to remote work because, frankly, it was necessary," Mattera said. "So what you're seeing is people who need that productive workspace, but also that human interaction that we've all been missing."
As long as public health orders allow, Mattera said Hack & Grind will be operating with social distancing measures in place. Workers must wear masks and stay six feet apart.
Correction: A previous version of this story reported the Basalt Chamber of Commerce offered free advising at Hack & Grind Coworking.
