"Galentine's Day" may be a made-up holiday, courtesy of Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope on the hit sitcom "Parks and Recreation." But The Collab, an Inner Sunset co-working space for women, is making it a reality.
Open since last year, The Collab was founded by five women who wanted to create a positive workspace with networking opportunities and events for other women.
It's a concept that's caught fire in recent years. The Wing, a private women's club and co-working space in New York, expanded to San Francisco in 2018, and the city has also produced a few homegrown women's workspaces and social clubs, including The Ruby and The Assembly.
But while the other clubs are located near the bustling city center, The Collab is targeting the quieter, more close-knit communities of the westside.
“I think four out of five of us live on this side of town. We know a lot of women who live on this side of town," co-founder Jay Jay Chu told Hoodline. “We wanted to bring that here, so you didn’t have to go downtown to be a professional."
Others involved in launching the project include Kendra Nixon, Stephanie Lane, Monica Urick, and Jennifer Wofford.
The Collab is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., offering free wifi and a coffee and tea station. Women can drop in for $30 a day, while memberships run $100 a week or $200 a month.
On weekends, the space can be rented for special events, with rates starting at $350, according to The Collab's website.
In addition to co-working, The Collab has a retail component, selling locally made clothing, essential oils, jewelry, and decorative glass pieces. One of the founders, local apparel designer Jennifer Wofford, has her own crafting space and sewing machine set up in back.
"I've always wanted a community center maker space,” Wofford said. And it wouldn't have been possible without another woman — Chu noted that Monica Urick, owner of neighboring kids' clothing resale shop Monkei Miles, helped set things in motion for the group to secure the space.
“I think each of us is uniquely motivated to help and support other women and lift up other women,” Wofford said.
That will be the guiding ethos of "Galentine's Day," set for this Friday, February 13. Attendees ($35 for one woman, $60 for two) will be treated to an evening of activities and snacks that include astrology readings, face masks, champagne, chocolate, and Leslie Knope's favorite food: waffles.
The founders hope the event will allow women to celebrate their favorite "Galentines," and maybe make a few new friends.
“What we offer, much more than other spaces, is true intimacy and connection, and true camaraderie,” Chu said. “People feel open to talk to each other and share ideas.”
Tickets for Galentine’s Day are available here; a list of other events coming up at The Collab can be found here.