DOVER— A small business and events center is opening in the heart of Dover, in hopes to create space for budding businesses to work and grow networks.
The Hive on Loockerman will offer professional office space and coworking services to small businesses and nonprofit leaders. Once open, it will offer a conference room as well as small “makerspace” for videographers, photographers and podcasters, or even doubling as a one-on-one meeting room. The space would also offer practical services like a copier, shredder and more.
“It’s all about accessibility,” The Hive founder Chevonne Boyd said. “It’s about having a meeting space for small business owners to have the resources and even the space to build a network without the fear of huge price tags with an office space. Downtown Dover is the right opportunity for this.”
Boyd and her husband bought 28 W. Loockerman St. earlier this year for $285,000, according county property records. The three-story building has 3,800 square feet in floorspace, and Boyd plans for the Hive to be on the first floor.
On the second and third floor, the couple plans to renovate and add apartments, though that project likely won’t start until 2024.
The Hive on Loockerman would also offer opportunities for events up to 50 people to gather. Once open, clients could book an event or a meeting and arrive to find the set-up complete for them. That would include monitors and slide decks prepared for basic amenities like water.
Boyd was inspired by her work in professional event planning, a space she’s found herself in the past 15 years, from working as a project manager with the state government to Jobs for Delaware Graduates. And while she’s passionate about bringing people together to create or find solutions, she’s found a lack of space for professionals on the go.
“People are always looking for a place to do … dot, dot, dot. In Wilmington, there’s the luxury of choices; tech-enabled choices, places where you can walk outside and go have a conversation over a drink,” she said. “There’s a need in our area to have safe spaces for professionals to connect and thrive – and have access to the resources they need.
“Being a small business owner is hard,” Boyd added. “Our hope is to provide a little bit of everything we can to meet the needs of some entrepreneurs in our area.”
The Hive on Loockerman’s target opening is set for November.
