A new venture has entered the scene on Washington Street in Peekskill: Kinship Co-Working. The hybrid co-working and retail space, located in the former Cozy Corner Yarn Shop — one of the oldest homes in Peekskill, c. 1803 — opened on October 1. Founder Amanda Jones, of Peekskill, said the response has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
Originally from Pawling, Jones comes from a family of entrepreneurs. “My dad owns a flooring business, and my mom is always inventing things,” Jones shared. “I’ve had experience working for big corporations, start-ups, and for myself. I love the feeling of working for myself and bringing my own ideas to life.”
A member of the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce, Jones worked in sales and technology for about a decade before coming up with the idea for Kinship this past spring. “It all came together very quickly,” she said.
Kinship offers a vintage, welcoming workplace for remote workers and self-starters through membership plans, and the space is complete with all the amenities of a usual workspace: a community hub, a break room/kitchen, quiet rooms, singular desks, meeting rooms, and communal working tables.
Co-workers can utilize the second monitors, whiteboards, standing desks, and even a walking treadmill, in addition to reliable wi-fi, and enjoy the local art adorning the walls and doors. “Taking a decidedly non-corporate approach to decorating the space seems to resonate with people. The idea is that nearly everything in Kinship is thrifted, gifted, or made,” Jones noted.
Having volunteered with Yay! Markets in Peekskill — outdoor seasonal markets designed by Pome Florals and Peekskill Exurbanist — Jones saw an immediate need for a brick-and-mortar retail space for “the many intelligent, creative people in this town who are out to make a positive impact on the community.”
Serving as a local artisan shop in addition to a shared workspace, Kinship offers its members a place to show and sell their creative work in the retail space in the front room. Some current offerings include natural skincare products, home goods, paintings, prints, and ceramics.
“Customers can stop in to shop local art, and our members enjoy having an always-on retail location to show their work that’s both affordable and convenient. I chose to take on this hybrid approach because commercial retail space in Westchester is prohibitively expensive for most artists unless you’re well established,” shared Jones, adding that Kinship offers a “best of both worlds” solution.
Despite being so new, the workspace is already averaging about four co-workers per day, but Jones hopes to reach fifteen by the end of the year. “Everyone is quickly getting to know one another,” Jones shared of the co-workers. While many walk to Kinship from their homes, some travel from nearby Croton and Mahopac.
On the future of Kinship, Jones shared that her goal is to keep Kinship responsive to the community. “Rather than charting every move, I’m keeping the path flexible so that it can become exactly what we need.”
Hours: M-TH: 10am-6pm / F: 10am-5pm / SAT: 11am-3pm
Website: kinshipcoworking.com
Instagram: @kinship_coworking
Stephanie Conte is a resident of Peekskill.
