In the jungle of trendy clothing stores and coffeeshops that make up Soho, and not too far from a Chobani-branded yogurt shop, sits an unlikely interloper from a Pacific Coast tech behemoth.
The AWS Pop-Up Loft, located on W. Broadway near Broome, is an interesting, techie take on a fashion pop up. Once you sign up, the space is free to use, and much of it looks just like a coworking space. In many ways, it’s similar to the Wix Lounge back in the days when that space operated like a free-for-all.
There are a bunch of seats, a nice balcony and a kitchen with a high-tech, computer-connected kegerator filled, disappointingly, with root beer. When I visited midday on a Friday, the space was busy and friendly, but I had no trouble finding a place to work.
The AWS Pop-Up Loft also offers a ton of support for people who use Amazon Web Services or are considering doing so. They offer free ‘Ask An Architect’ sessions, or you can attend a technical session or try out an AWS bootcamp. Just like any other Pop-Up, they’re trying to make it easy for people to get to know and use their product.
But, unlike a pop-up, the space is sticking around. The first AWS Pop-Up Loft opened in San Francisco back in mid-2014, and then closed like a normal pop-up. However, that space was reopened by September 2014 following popular demand and has stayed open since. The New York space opened in June of 2015, and has remained open since.
If you happen to be in Soho, check it out — if nothing else, there's a free root beer in it for you.
Image via the Le Femme Collective Instagram
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