LIC has long been the place for new business to take root and prosper – now one organization is taking that to a whole new level.
The Entrepreneur Space, an incubator for food businesses, officially opened its pantries and pilot lights on January 19. The 5,000-square-foot space includes four commercial grade kitchens and is open around the clock to meet the demands of tenants.
“The Entrepreneur Space is an innovative theme park of ideas and resources for our local small businesses,” said Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer. “This 5,000 square foot one-stop shop will provide endless economic opportunities for small businesses owners and I am thrilled to see such a communal and economically stimulating workspace take roots in my district in Long Island City."
Van Bramer was joined by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) to celebrate this new leap forward in small business support.
The Entrepreneur Space is managed by Mi Kitchen es su Kitchen, a food manufacturing consultancy founded by Katherine Gregory in 1996. Currently, more than 80 businesses are using the kitchens to produce products ranging from pies and Indian delicacies, to organic dog biscuits and catering services. In addition to the kitchens, the Entrepreneur Space includes affordable workstations, job training programs, and mentoring services for small businesses across industries.
The four kitchens include a variety of ovens, tables, counters and supplies including mixers of various sizes, a dough processor, steel jacketed tilt kettles, dough rounder, immersion blender and a cold room for finishing. Cold dry storage and lockers are also available and there is a supply of equipment and small wares available for tenant use.
The kitchens are available for rent on an as-needed basis for 8-hour shifts and cost $231 per day shift (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.), $189 per night shift (4:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.) and $154 for overnight shifts (1 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.). Rates include garbage pick-up, cleaning supplies and the use of a part-time kitchen assistant for two hours during each shift.
In addition to offering low-cost kitchen rentals, the Entrepreneur Space includes a small business incubator with seven work stations and two private offices. Desks are available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m, seven-days-a-week. Rents range from $350 per month for a single desk to $750 per month for a two-person office. Two classrooms are also available for organizations needing to secure space for job training classes or seminars.
