This new space wants to expand the definition of coworking

Brooklyn’s coworking boom continues to reverberate with the launch of Pacific BK Works Cyber Bar at 1065 Pacific St., at the corner of Classon Avenue. The coworking space, owned by Monica Be. Barrette and Dion Faria, opened Tuesday, March 15.
Housed in a refurbished garage, the space is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It features an open layout and minimalist decor, with rows of tables for collaborative work as well as several small tables that serve as standup desks. The coworking space will soon offer dedicated desks and already welcomes conferences and meetings.

To entice passersby, Pacific BK Works is offering a $5 daily drop-in rate in addition to $100 monthly memberships. The coworking space’s amenities and perks include WiFi, access to faxing and printing, free beverages and snacks, free parking and a promotional Uber code, good for one free ride. Those who sign up for a monthly membership also can send and receive mail using the coworking space’s address. (Barrette is currently applying for the space to become an authorized location for FedEx and UPS deliveries.)
Notably, Pacific BK Works will also feature tech consulting services, classes and networking sessions for beauty professionals. In fact, Barrette, a hair stylist for more than 25 years, was inspired to launch a coworking space after having trouble finding a suitable space to audition stylists and makeup artists for her business, a pop-up beauty salon. Having seen the impact that tech has had on her industry, with the rise of online booking and Instagram marketing, she now hopes to help her peers adapt.
“Many of them are not keeping up with technology as much as they should, and they’re going to lose their market,” she says. “The world is going to be like the Jetsons.”
Indeed, Barrette aims to draw foot traffic from those who aren’t yet immersed in Brooklyn’s tech scene.
On weekends, Pacific BK Works doubles as a private event space; it is currently available for bookings. Next month, Barrette plans to launch a series of coding classes for middle and high school students called Code Brooklyn. She is also in talks with a yoga instructor to offer weekly evening classes, and during the summer, she plans to hold events such as Wii game nights.
Barrette says she hopes that the variety of events will attract residents who may not know much about coworking. “Often it’s seen as for people in certain types of industries,” she said. “But this is for anyone.”