The co-working space, FoundHERS Suite, opened on Friday with the aim of growing women-led businesses and fostering collaboration among entrepreneurs.
The 2,300-square-foot space at 1808-10 W. 103rd St. in Beverly includes a lounge area, two meeting rooms that can be booked for private events or other uses like yoga, a podcast studio and a spa/therapy suite.
“We believe in empowering women to be entrepreneurs and promoting a sense of community and common goal,” said founder LaTanya Orr.
FoundHERS Suite owner LaTanya Orr (centre) cuts the ribbon with attendees and Councillor Matt O’Shea (19th) (right) at the grand opening of the co-working space in Beverly.
Jim Vondruska and Jim Vondruska/The Sun-Times
The grand opening of FoundHERS Suite was attended by dozens of people, including Councilman Matt O’Shea (19th District) and resident Karin Pettigrew, CEO of ZoeGoes, a sustainable women’s clothing brand.
“I’d always lamented the lack of shared office space on the South Side,” Pettigrew says, “and LaTaniya solved that problem. This space is lovely and in a very friendly neighborhood.”
Oh said there is no other office in the area that offers business services to women entrepreneurs like Foundher’s Suite’s Rehoboth Women’s Entrepreneurship Center, which offers accounting, legal, marketing and administrative support to nonprofits for a fee.
FoundHERS Suite memberships start at $29 per month for access to virtual events, $199 per month for hot desking and other services, and up to $400 per month for an office with access to on-site amenities.
Oh, a strategy coach and designer who grew up east of Beverly, lived in Michigan for over 30 years before moving to Chicago in 2021. She began her career in marketing and public relations at the University of Michigan and eventually launched her own strategy business.
LaTanya Orr, Owner of FoundHERS Suite;
Jim Vondruska/The Sun-Times
Oh first saw a co-working space in Southfield, Michigan 30 years ago, and the striking concept and space left an indelible impression on her. Looking back on her career last year, Oh decided to rekindle her vision of creating a co-working space for women.
She envisioned a mix of virtual and in-person services and events, like trainings and seminars, to build community. For example, FoundHERS Suite will host a free screening of Netflix’s “Black Barbie: A Documentary,” executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, on June 19.
Orr invested $40,000 from his savings and retirement funds to open the co-working space. Though he’s been an entrepreneur for 20 years, starting FoundHERS Suite was “a whole other level. I’ve never had a brick-and-mortar store before. It’s a bigger responsibility than I have,” Orr said.
She also wanted to invest in the area where she lived previously, a diverse, vibrant community for businesses and families. She looked around in a variety of areas, including the Loop, South Loop and southwest suburbs. But Beverly felt like the perfect fit, with a vintage building, a good amount of space and no commercial feel.
“It was perfect. I just thought this was it,” Oh said.
The exterior of the FoundHERS Suite at 1808-10 W. 103rd St. in Beverly.
Jim Vondruska/The Sun-Times
