Makehaven: not for entrepreneurs, just hobbyists.
I am writing this review of the space not because I want to, but because after a week has gone by I am still incensed enough where I must put my thoughts down and also share what I have discovered with the general public less they meet the same frustrations in the Make Haven Space that I have. I use the space not simply for myself but to make clothes for people to buy. So I am writing this review as somebody who is an entrepreneur and artist trying to use the space.
I have been a member of Makehaven for 3 years, in my time there it has become very clear that there are two tiers of use in the space. Tier 1: metalworking, woodworking, electronics, 3d printing, beer making. Tier 2: sewing, culinary work, embroidery, knitting. If you plan to use the space for tier 1 or as i like to call it "He-Man" tier, then you are in luck! The space is properly maintained. If something breaks they notice it and fix it in a reasonable time, there is paid staff that is always knowledgeable and around to help. If He-man Tier is what you want a membership for then you will most certainly find what you need.
However if you wanted a membership for tier 2, or as i like to call it "the more feminine work" then you are assed out. I have had tons of issues with the sewing space not being properly maintained: whether it is having broken equipment that has no discernible timeline on getting fixed until I inquire. Various machines being "misrepaired" such as someone just dumping oil all over a machine so it was even in the eye hole of the needle: ruined my piece. This comes from a lack of consistency and management of the space in a way that rarely seems to happen with the woodworking or metal equipment. When it comes to the silkscreening station it's even more wretched. I will give you an example from my most recent experience:
I had a deadline, and the day before I had planned to screen a few shirts I noticed that a class of no less than 10 people were being taught how to silkscreen. Thats cool. I notice that the person teaching the class is also being observed by paid facilitators- thats also cool it is important that she is teaching right. that night I decided to burn a screen to start printing the next day. The screen went poorly and when I went to clean this screen I suffered through half an hour of frustration before I realized that someone had WATERED DOWN THE CLEANING SOLUTION for cleaning screens, which if you know chemicals then you know it didnt work. This may not seem like a big deal to those who dont silkscreen, but basically everything emulsion related is time [light] based. The longer it takes me to wash a screen, the lower the chance that it will wash out. Screens cost about $40, so if I cant clean this screen I am out $40 and time. So after i get a facilitator (at this point is is 12am) and put the right chemicals in, the screen is only half reclaimed-which is to say ruined. I went to reclaim this screen no more than 11 hours after placing the emulsion. It should have been easy to clean and instead was a huge chore.
The next morning i go to print in the printmaking shop and there is RED INK all over the silkscreening station. It was left by the class the day before very clearly because I saw them, use it, and the red ink left behind was the same design that they were using. It was everywhere, It was on the table that you place the clothes, was on the actual machine, and it was subtlety all over the counter. This was all left by the class the day before, a class where someone is teaching people how to use the space-and someone was watching that teacher to make sure it was taught right. So I noticed some of the paint, but I didn't notice all of the paint until some of it ended up on a shirt I was trying to silkscreen. If you have ever used a shared art space then the first thing you know is to CLEAN UP PROPERLY, the fact that little to no attention was paid on clean up is an appalling lack of training on everyone's part.
For brevity's sake I will skip the kitchen space, but it is a joke, I got more tools in my kitchen.
Fundamentally it comes down to who Makehaven serves.
Makehaven brands itself as an incubator for small business. Makehaven gets grants for thousands of dollars to be a space for entrepreneurs. This is not a space for entreprenuers. Or at least not the type who would actually need their space. I need their space because as of right now I cannot afford anything more while I am growing my business. I am poor, I have traditionally had service industry jobs, I am a high school drop out, this place does not cater to me. It caters to middle class suburban 35-70 year old people who have hobbies that they want to pursue. Those same people have no problems with the space not working because it is just a hobby for them. If they ever wanted to take things more seriously they could have there own making space- in fact plenty do. I wrote more but am out of space. read more