ST. CHARLES – A community of entrepreneurs, tinkerers and inventors has sprung up in downtown St. Charles, and more are welcome to join.
Fox.Build, 15 S. Second St., offers a collaborative place for people to work on their business, hobby or passion.
Rick Carlino and Tim Allen met at a coworking space in Naperville and opened the workspace in January, they said, indicating they sought a space that was more industrial, with sawdust on the floor.
When searching for a location, Carlino said they wanted to show love for the suburbs instead of looking in Chicago. He and Allen said they were drawn to St. Charles for various reasons, including its artistic and young crowd.
“It’s got the vibe we were looking for,” Allen said.
Now at about 20 members strong, Fox.Build has an inventory of manufacturing equipment, including a CNC machine, and a sponsorship from Bosch, they said.
Allen, who runs his software company out of the building, said he can’t go back to working out of his house, which he did for about a decade. Working alongside other Fox.Build members has taught him so much, he said, explaining members kick around ideas and can help bring an idea to fruition.
Carlino also has experienced that. Fox.Build members have made suggestions on aspects of his open-source venture, FarmBot, he said.
Because the others involved with FarmBot are located elsewhere, Carlino said, he wouldn’t otherwise get the sense of workplace community that Fox.Build provides.
“It’s nice to have work friends,” he said.
Non-members can check out Fox.Build between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Mondays, Carlino said. The monthly membership fee is $60 and includes 24-hour accessibility.
Visit www.Fox.Build for information.