When Betsey Elbogen discovered Perch Studios in Carrboro in 2013, it was a revelation she had long been waiting for. The entrepreneur had just retired from her jewelry import business and had stumbled across an article on coworking. After a search for local spaces, she met Vinci Daro, manager of Perch. 

 
Elbogen became so enthralled with the coworking space that when Daro moved to California for her post doc, Elbogen offered to buy Perch. Growth hasn’t stopped since then—membership has doubled, and just last month, she moved into a much larger space in the heart of Carrboro. 
 
Thanks to Elbogen and Daro’s work, entrepreneurs and freelancers in Chapel Hill and Carrboro now have an office option besides their living rooms and coffee shops. 
 
“I worked from my home for 18 years so I really could’ve used this sort of community back then,” Elbogen says. 
“That original space was sort of a test space to see if there were enough other people who could use it. There was always the hope that it would outgrow that space and there would be enough people to support something bigger and nicer,” says Daro. 
 
The new space had allowed Perch Studios to offer more membership options and amenities. While the majority of the space is shared, there are private offices available for those who don’t mind paying a little extra, as well as quiet rooms and a conference room that members can use. They also have the occasional office hours with accountants and other consultants. 
To build community, Perch hosts weekly happy hours every Friday at Steel String, one of the many perks of sharing a building with a brewery. 
 
Elbogen says Perch’s presence is a boon to Carrboro’s economy. Perch members spend money at bars, restaurants, coffee shops and stores that they wouldn’t otherwise at home. 
 
“Instead of being home, they are out here, so they are using all the resources in this area,” says Elbogen. “I think it’s vital” 
Perch’s success over the last two years is representative of a growing coworking trend that is transforming the way Americans work. People who once enjoyed the freedom of working from home are now realizing the cost associated with mixing work and home life. As technology continues to revolutionize where and how work is done, workers will continue to seek physical spaces in which they can dedicate time to their jobs.