Timberyard, the US-inspired ‘working cafe’ concept, has won the contract to open two new sites in the new Facebook headquarters in Fitzrovia, MCA has learnt.
The 227,324-square-foot Frank Gehry designed building, which will employ 2,000 people, is currently under construction, with the new Timberyard sites to open towards the end of 2017 under a new concept ’TYCollab’.
The group is also finalising negotiations on another new site in Shoreditch, which will be set across several floors above retail space, and is set to open in the second quarter of 2017.
The concept, which offers creative workspaces with coffee, tea and food, has shops in Soho and Seven Dials and a pop-up in Boxpark Shoreditch.
Timberyard’s original shop in Old Street was forced to close earlier this year after a change of landlord.
Ruth Coppin, the company’s founder, said: “Facebook is the first collaborative partnership to be announced under ‘TY Collab’ and we’re incredibly excited.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to innovate bigger than ever before and Facebook has been keen to support and encourage our creative initiatives. We also see this as a chance to look at our social impact with a percentage from every drink being donated to charities close to our hearts”.
Co-founder Darren Elliot added: “Coffee is still the core of our business but workspaces in various guises whether private or public are definitely areas that are expanding very quickly; they’re both big growth markets at the moment
“Our approach to co-working is alternative to the other options out there. Each of our floors will have baristas dedicated to the companies within, which is proven to be far more productive.
“We’re very careful to choose locations only in areas rich in freelancers and start-ups, where people understand the facility and service that they’re getting, and that they have to make purchases to continue getting that. It’s a model we’re happy with.
