A new co-working space for parents that features on-site childcare is opening this month in Milwaukee’s Brewers Hill neighborhood. Le Village Cowork, a franchise founded in Chicago, is opening its second location, in Milwaukee at 301 E. Reservoir Ave.
Le Village gives adults a variety of co-working options in a modern, open space that includes private phone booths for calls and personal desk/office space options.
Children ages 3 months to 4 years can be dropped off in one of Le Village’s curriculum-centered classrooms which are led by trained teachers. The children’s area includes three different classrooms, a sleep room for infants, and indoor and outdoor play areas. Once at full capacity, Le Village will accept between 30-35 children. The Brewers Hill location also offers a wellness room with a Peloton bike, a mother’s room and a seasonal outdoor patio area.
Kellie Overton, a Chicago native, has been tapped to lead Le Village’s expansion into the Milwaukee market. In the middle of the pandemic, she and her husband found out they were expecting their first child.
“We were on six different daycare waiting lists and I was extremely anxious about finding care for him and balancing that with working from home,” said Overton. “It was all very new to us.”
The couple happened to be driving down the street when they spotted a sign for the Le Village location in Chicago, which piqued their interest. Meeting with the founder of Chicago’s Le Village location, Daniella Cornue, and touring the original co-working/daycare space was a dream come true for Overton.
“It really was an ‘ah-ha’ moment and I couldn’t believe a space like that existed,” she said.
It wasn’t only the mix of co-working space and childcare services that served as a support system for Overton, but Le Village’s community programming and network of families as well. Classes on everything from how to breastfeed to how to sleep train provided her with guidance during her early years of motherhood.
“For me, becoming a new mom felt very isolating at the time. My whole life had changed and I needed an additional group or community,” she said.
About a year and a half ago, Overton and her husband made the decision to move to Milwaukee to be closer to his family. While they were sad to leave their Le Village community in Chicago, Cornue approached them to ask about opening a location in Milwaukee.
They settled on the Brewers Hill neighborhood because it’s equally distanced to most of Milwaukee’s suburbs.
Le Village requires families to sign up for a membership to use the space. There are packages that range from $200 to $1,600 a month for childcare. There are also packages for using the co-working space, which Overton said are in the “low hundreds” range each month. Part-time and full-time plans available. On the weekends, the space will be available for community events and rentals.
“It really is choose your own adventure,” said Overton. “We provide a lot of flexibility.”
Le Village Brewers Hill is hosting an open house for the new location on July 23 and is now accepting enrollment applications. Tours of the space are available upon request.
