McKenna Harford / mharford@skyhinews.com
Three Winter Park businesses are expanding and moving into larger locations ahead of the summer season.
Divide Board Shop, The Perk coffee shop and Green Spaces coworking office, formerly known as Blue Arrow, are all moving out of existing spaces in order to grow their product selection or expand the business idea more generally.
Divide Board Shop, 78996 Highway 40
Divide Board Shop, which was previously located on Highway 40 next to Deno’s Mountain Bistro, moved across the highway to the Viking Lodge building, taking the place of the Viking Ski Shop.
Owner Nick James said the new space is about double the size of the previous one, which will allow him to carry more gear and more brands, as well as expand their rental shop.
“We always ran into more companies would want to have us pick them up and were really excited to be in our shop, but at the same time we were very limited in space, so this will kind of solve that problem,” James said. “We’ll be able to have winter and summer (gear) at the same time.”
Another perk of the new location is that, unlike the shop’s previous location, it’s accessible from the ground floor and shares a parking lot with the Cooper Creek Square shopping center, which James hopes will drive more foot traffic into Divide.
Doors at the new location will open June 1.
The Perk, 78321 Highway 40
Previously located at the intersection of Highway 40 and Vasquez Road, The Perk will be moving down the highway into a new shared location at Hideaway Station, the mixed-use space next to Fireside Market and Eatery.
Owner Jayson Harris said he will be partnering with an outdoor retailer to offer both services in one location. Ideally, it will be a place for active locals and visitors to come and spend time before or after their outdoor adventures.
“Kind of the idea is, before you go out on a hike or go skiing, you come and plan your day,” Harris said. “We’ll have a lot of soft seating, really encouraging people hanging out and talking.”
On top of the craft coffee and kombucha that The Perk is known for, it will begin to offer cold pressed juice and lunch options at the new location.
The quality products customers expect from The Perk will be complemented by the higher-end apparel, shoes and small gear the retailer will sell, Harris said. Ultimately, he described the new location as a long-term move for the business.
Harris said he expects to open sometime this summer.
Green Spaces, 78311 Highway 40
Green Spaces is the evolution of Winter Park’s coworking space Blue Arrow, which was previously located in the Winter Park Station, but now will be opening next door to The Perk’s new location at Hideaway Station.
Harris, who also owns Green Spaces, said they bought the Denver-based coworking company last year with big plans to expand the spaces into mountain communities, starting with Winter Park.
At Hideaway Station, Green Spaces will be in a 3,000 square foot location, which provides room for shared workstations, a lounge area and amenities for members who pay a monthly fee.
“It’s more for start-up companies, remote workers, freelancers,” Harris said. “We really believe productivity is really important.”
Harris also said once the coworking space gets off the ground, they may begin offering events for members at the space.
As the name would suggest, the space is also focused on sustainability, using recycled and sustainable office materials, offering recycling and using beetle-kill wood and a variety of plants to decorate the interior.
Like the coffee shop, Harris said he expects a middle to late summer opening.