| | Published December 9th, 2020
| Pillar - more than just a space to work in Lafayette
| | | By Pippa Fisher |  | | Amirh Davis, who co-founded Pillar co-working space in Lafayette with her business partner Christina Iguodala, is always happy to give tours of the new facility which includes high quality childcare. Photo Pippa Fisher |
It was an idea two years in the making, born out of the demand, identified by two moms juggling working from home and caring for an infant, for a space to work while keeping their small children safely nearby. The state-of-the-art, co-working space in downtown Lafayette opened its doors in early March . and, per state guidelines, was forced to shut its doors just two weeks later.
The pandemic is challenging for many, of course, but especially for those entrepreneurs launching a brand new endeavor right at the start of the shelter-in-place.
Pillar is located at 3515 Mt. Diablo Blvd. opposite Whole Foods Market. Amirh Davis, who founded the facility together with her partner Christina Iguodala, is clearly very proud of the beautiful facility, which she explains reopened in accordance with COVID guidelines over the summer.
With a philosophy of providing a space for creativity and cultivating connection, the 5,000-square-foot building has been designed to provide individual, private offices, meeting rooms, training rooms, and an on-site, adjacent childcare facility, complete with a safe, outdoor play area as well as a nap space for children and a room for nursing mothers.
Both Davis and Iguodala recognized the demand for a quality work space outside the home, combined with the option of keeping infants and small children close by. They realized co-working facilities offering childcare were very rare.
In fact the childcare offered by Pillar is much more than just childcare, with a play-based, specialist-designed, emergent curriculum allowing children to explore and develop as individually appropriate. Qualified Early Childhood Education teachers use art, dramatic play, blocks, music and movement, literacy, math and science to guide learning.
Davis says that one of their ideas is to work with Sparkles & Joy Founder Semira Moslem (see story in Nov. 11 issue of Lamorinda Weekly). Given the current COVID tier and occupancy restrictions, plans are not yet finalized but, according to Moslem, "The hope is we'll have a pop-up some time in Q1 at Pillar for current and prospective Sparkles & Joy customers featuring a chef's special appetizer along with non-alcoholic beverages to promote both Sparkles & Joy along with Pillar's amazing workspace and founders."
Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jay Lifson recognizes the hard work Davis and Iguodala are investing in this facility. "Amirh and Christina are dynamic entrepreneurs who have much to share," he says.
Currently Pillar has reduced seating capacity in all shared spaces, meeting rooms and café areas to allow for proper social distancing, and have added additional private offices and workspace options to provide increased isolation.
Pillar offers flexible membership plans and welcomes drop-ins. Currently childcare options do not included drop-ins - parents must reserve a space online in advance - in order to help keep stable cohorts of children.
For more information on Pillar, visit https://pillarcowork.com/ |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA