Finding Office Space

So far, I have some idea where I’m going to get financing, I have a designer in mind and I have a marketing person I like … now I need a place to work.  I definitely wanted something close to home so when I’m 90, driving to work won’t be too difficult.  I decide to search the internet first.  I found the number of someone who had commercial office space for rent in the area.  I called the number posted on the website and got an answering machine.  It may have been a day or two later when I got a phone call from Ted, he was responding to my phone message.  I explained what I had in mind and he said he had a place that just might be perfect for me.  So he gave me the address and we set up an appointment to meet the next day.   

When I got there, the place was about 5 minutes from my home.  I really liked that feature for sure. The address was on Tyler Blvd. in a building that had many similar units.  Each unit had a large garage door and a glass door to enter.  There may have been about 8 or 9 units in all.  We went inside to look around.  We first walked into a small room which led into another room that was about twice the size of the first room.  There was a small bathroom and a little kitchenette.  The office area was fully carpeted.   From the first room, a door opened out into a warehouse area.  It was huge!  The last tenant was a small construction company Ted said.  It definitely needed some decorating if I was going to use this space, but the space itself was perfect.  I knew it was exactly what I needed for this type of business.  When he told me how much the rent was, I just couldn’t believe it.  Totally affordable!  I signed a one-year lease that day!  I knew I wasn’t really ready for an office yet, but I had to grab this place because I may never find anything this perfect for this price again.  Besides, I thought I would use this office to have my weight loss meetings.   It was much closer to home than our medical office in Willoughby so it wouldn’t be a total waste if I didn’t need it right away.   

It didn’t take long for me put my own personal touch into the place.  I hired our favorite handy man, Bill, to turn this office and warehouse into a suitable environment for my clothing business.  I decided to use the first room for a reception area and the back room for an office.  The warehouse needed a lot of work, but Bill performed his magic.  I had the whole warehouse floor carpeted and he painted the entire area.  For those who know me it was ... pink ... of course!  Part of this area would be the shipping department and the rest would warehouse the clothes I would be distributing.  I had Bill hang a few more cupboards in the kitchenette and finish painting the offices.   He did a beautiful job. 

Next, I bought some furniture for the reception area and hung some curtains on the window.  I contacted a young woman who photographs children with Down syndrome to see if she would sell me a few photographs that I could hang on the walls.  She agreed so I bought four beautiful black and white photos that added the perfect touch to the reception area.  The rest of the office equipment and furniture would come later when I needed it.  For now, this was perfect.  Did I find this place by accident…I think not! … Karen