Regus Opens New Saburtalo Branch
Regus is an international workplace company that offers 3,000 contemporary co-working spaces in 120 countries. In Georgia, there are two Regus locations – the first on Tabidze Street just off Liberty (Freedom) Square, and a newly opened location at Vazha-Pshavela 71 in Saburtalo, near the Vazha Pshavela metro station.
Area Manager of Regus Georgia, Ruska Chakvetadze, told GEORGIA TODAY that Regus has plans to open a third location in Tbilisi soon, and aims to continue to expand to other Georgian cities, Kutaisi and Batumi, in the future. More locations offer an escape from a long commute in the city’s white-knuckle traffic.
Regus Saburtalo offers two main workspace options: an unreserved desk in the large, open main hall and a reserved desk in a private office with four workspaces. The virtual office service is popular among young local startups, offering access to the co-working space, any Regus business lounge worldwide, use of a printer, scanner and photocopier, and Wi-Fi.
The Saburtalo location opened in August in response to 80% occupancy rates at the Tabidze location, and already has 30% occupancy in its 28 reserved office spaces. Pricing is on a monthly basis and use of the co-working space in Tbilisi starts at $79, unlimited. Potential clients can request a quote online, but the pricing is generally in line with Regus’ target market of large, international companies. The Saburtalo location does offer lower prices than the Tabidze location, and attempts to cater more towards Georgians, as the neighborhood is one of Tbilisi’s highest-density residential areas. Chakvetadze calls it “the second business district of the city.” The Regus website boasts, “there’s also plenty to do outside work, from visits to the [Tbilisi State University] Museum of Zoology to a walk in the David Bolkvadze Park at lunchtime.”
The main draw for most clients who use the unreserved desk area is flexibility, catering to people who would otherwise work from a café or restaurant, and offering a mobile workspace when traveling abroad. The Saburtalo Regus co-working space is large and airy with high ceilings, streamlined design in whites and greys which are occasionally punctuated with a bright green chair cushion or shelf. It has the feel of a modern university library: youthful and studious. There is also a kitchenette where there is always coffee and tea available, and a fridge for those who bring their own meals. A 10-person meeting room is reservable by both Regus members and non-members. The center is open 24/7 with a constantly staffed reception desk and secure entrance.
The popularity of Regus reflects the growth of international companies in Georgia. Companies such as Airbnb, Mastercard, and H&M use Regus’ services to house their handful of local employees and occasional visiting international staff. As Georgia becomes an increasingly popular place to work for location-independent businesses, and the business environment remains attractive, both in terms of the market and government incentives such as liberal visa regimes and low taxes, demand for spaces like Regus will grow.
By Samantha Guthrie
Image source: Regus