The Hive, Philadelphia’s first women-only coworking space, opened its doors in Old City earlier this month.
The response has been so positive that the two-person team behind the space, founder Melissa Alam and publicist Sara Kelly, is already on the search for a second outpost, Kelly said. They’re eyeing University City or Passyunk Square.
“We’re just really happy people agree with our crazy idea,” said Kelly, 29, of Passyunk Square.
At two floors and 900 square feet, The Hive, at 222 Race St., is a compact coworking space with just one long table for coworkers and three dedicated desks, one of which is Alam’s. The basement holds a kitchen and a conference room.

Founder Melissa Alam’s desk. (Photo by Juliana Reyes)
With its exposed brick, bouquets of flowers and a vintage, bejeweled telephone, being inside The Hive feels like visiting a hip friend’s apartment. It even smelled good (must’ve been the essential oil diffusers). The pair furnished the place with finds from South Philly’s Era Atomica and Northern Liberties’ Jinxed, Kelly said.
The Hive has 11 members right now, including a Lululemon staffer who designs triathlon gear as a side hustle, a PR professional and a yoga instructor building a nonprofit.
The Hive will host a free day of coworking on First Friday in December.
See more photos below.
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