In May, a place very important to me opened in Albert Lea. This place is called The Outlet.

So, what is The Outlet?

The Outlet is many things. It is a collaborative workspace. It is a place to hold corporate events. It houses an entrepreneurship program, called ALEAP, monthly. It is the home to a marketing firm called The Marketing Plant. For me, it is home to my photography business.

At the beginning of the summer, I met with the co-founders of The Marketing Plant and The Outlet, Mariah Lynne and Abby Murray. Initially, I wanted to meet with them to see what kind of marketing could be done to grow my photography business. By the end of that day, I was in The Outlet, working on my business as a collaborative member.

Collaborative workspaces are popping up all over the place. Albert Lea is incredibly lucky to have one. The Outlet has a large conference room, small conference room, currently a small office available to rent (if you’re looking for an office space, check it out!), work bars and work stations. There are also televisions throughout, so if you are hosting a meeting or need to put anything up on a large screen, you are able to do so. Other perks of working in The Outlet include internet, locker storage, a kitchenette, coffee makers, a mini fridge and snacks. Members of collaborative workspaces work in an open area, which allows for socialization, sharing of ideas and an overall fun and healthy work environment.

The Outlet has been so amazing for my business over the last few months. I’ve housed numerous indoor photoshoots, been able to have a place to sit and edit photos, and have had a professional space to meet with clients about various things. As my business grows, I have goals to move into my own space, but for now The Outlet is exactly what I need.

If you haven’t been to The Outlet, you should stop in and take a tour of it. It is at 137 S. Broadway in the beautiful downtown area of Albert Lea. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you work from home but would like a place away from home to work or have a small business which need a place to operate, The Outlet is something you need in your life. It has truly changed mine.

 

Erin Murtaugh is an undergraduate at Bemidji State University studying elementary education. She can be reached at murtaugh.erin@gmail.com.