The Coven Community Workspace

The Minneapolis-born startup extends its reach to St. Paul

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BY SYLVIA RANI Hold onto your hats, witches! There’s a new safe space in town. The Coven St. Paul opened its doors for the first time in late January, welcoming a new chapter of women and non-binary folk into the gorgeous buildout that spans two floors of Cathedral Hill’s Blair Arcade. More than twice the size of its original Minneapolis location, the pristinely decorated co-working space is one of the only ones on the other side of the Mississippi. Founded with the intention to create a safe and comfortable space for humans from every industry, age, and socioeconomic background, The Coven offers members more than the average shared workspace. Private showers, a self-care room, and onsite childcare are only a few of the amenities that the Coven holds within its high-ceilinged walls. In addition to an immaculate shared workspace, the Coven hosts thoughtful events focused on a range of topics. From professional development and networking to reiki and conversations on climate change, the events bring together people from all different industries and backgrounds to connect and share their worldly wisdom.

8 The interior of the Coven is nothing short of gorgeous. Imagine country-club-meetsAnthropologie chic. Minimalist, modern furniture is accented by vibrant pillows and matte gold wall decals that spell out quotes from influential women. On the lower floor, pieces by local female and non-binary artists decorate the exposed brick walls. Friendly potted succulents and fuschia orchids add a touch of nature to the atmosphere. Above the marble countertops in the kitchenette area, large lettering on the coral tile reads “Do the Most Good,” a core tenet of the Wicca tradition. Doing the most good certainly seems to be a driving force for the Coven. After years of experience in advertising, the four founding members grew frustrated with the sexist and exclusionary nature of the industry. From covertly gendered slights to an overt lack of diversity in the workplace, the women had enough of working in systems that seemed to be stacked against their success. As they stepped out of their advertising careers, the founders felt a strong desire to try to dismantle the de-facto systems that kept them underrepresented, undervalued, and overlooked. Born out of a powerful combination of frustration and desire to enact change, the Coven aimed to be a space that would bring women and non-binary people together to work towards a better future. The founders knew that destroying the patriarchy would mean building a new world, one that values inclusion and equality. With these principles in mind, they created the Coven as a community space where brave individuals could come together and pursue those goals.

While not all members of the Coven identify as witches, the space’s name is more of a tongue-in-cheek reference to our culture’s response to women coming together and standing in their power. The Coven offers a radical type of space where professionals can show up as their full selves and challenge the scarcity mindset that keeps people complacent. Operating from a place of abundance in a society that teaches people to always be afraid of not having enough is an act of resistance in itself. The Coven was founded on the principles that there is, in fact, plenty to go around, and that change

is possible when people work together. To ensure the space’s inclusivity, for every five annual memberships purchased, the Coven offers one fully-paid scholarship to a person who cannot currently afford a membership. Priority for these scholarships are given to people from historically marginalized backgrounds.

At the new location’s grand opening, people of all ages and backgrounds gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. Local businesses including Mississippi Market Co-op and Nothing Bundt Cakes provided evening snacks and beverages. An air of excitement and optimism filled the space; a warm, hopeful energy that carried on well into the night. In the Coven, it seems that when women and non-binary people come together, the things they create are nothing short of magic.