Grit Studios is a coworking space for startups and entrepreneurs in Northwest Arkansas providing community resources, networking, professional development and other amenities in order to sustain smart growth, innovation and success.
The shared workplace occupies 6,800 square feet on the second floor of the Massey Building in downtown Bentonville at the intersection of Central Avenue and SW ‘A’ Street. The Massey Building, formerly “Hotel Massey”, is a three-story masonry building that was originally constructed in 1910 in the Renaissance Revival Architectural style and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Grit Studios incorporates many elements, materials and furnishings that harken back to the period in which the building was built, and the premise was to have an “old World/ 1920’s Art Deco” feel for the space. The program is comprised of open office workstations, private offices, meeting areas, conference rooms, break area, restrooms and private phone “booths”. An exterior balcony was restored from the original building that had not been in use since at least the 1970’s. The central unifying space is a casual work/ social area that is open to the break area and it can be transformed into a seminar/ presentation/ event space for 70 people. The mosaic tile in the lobby and break area is replicated from the historic front porch along Central Avenue and the reception/ break counter is reminiscent of a hotel check-in desk that might have been in the lobby of the Hotel Massey. The light fixtures and furniture are an eclectic mix of historic and modern styles creating a fun and creative space that relate to the historic building but also provide the modern amenities necessary for today’s business environment.
