I attend an event here on last night at 1871 for the Chibuys Winter Tasting. Located on the 12th Floor in the Merchandise Mart. I was able to enjoy a nice scenery of unique décor throughout the building. It was an evening filled with amazing food, entrepreneurship, music and networking. I'm so happy that I was invited out to witness this influencing and motivating event. 1871 supports and has partnered up with minority and women owned food vendors across the Chicagoland area. I got to meet amazing local food vendors and sample some delicious food bites. Twisted Eggroll, Gayle's Best Ever, Amazing Edibles, Justice Of The Pies, Catering Out the Box, Dulcelandia, Ryuu Asian BBQ, Social Enjoyments and Amanecer Breakfast Tacos. I look forward to the next event in June. read more

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I attended several events here including the Chibuys Winter Tasting. The awesome thing about the event is that 1871 partnered up with minority and women owned food vendors across Chicago. There were samples of many different foods that were delicious, and I was able to discover some new vendors that I was not aware of. 1871 is on the 12th floor in the Merchandise Mart. The space is large and offers many opportunities for growing businesses. 1871 is Chicago's center for technology and entrepreneurship. They offer co-working spaces, special events, a community of start ups, corporations, and community partners. Workshops and in-depth courses to teach design, technology, and business skills, incubators and accelerators, also a great place to work, they are always on the cutting edge. SpotHero was an early tenant at 1871. They are responsible for the growth and mentoring of many new businesses. What a great place to help grow your business! read more

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Another placeholder so my pictures link. I'll update with details later, but the 5 star rating holds true. read more

1871 - Product Design Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best-shared place to work at! Seriously. Love the location and the vibes of beautiful Merchandise Mart building. There are always some interesting workshops and lectures to attend. Plenty of great people to network with and tons of extra snacks around. Definitely recommend! read more

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Shared office space environment. The Chibuys Winter tasting event was interesting with a variety of foods hosted by primarily minority owned food business vendors. The desserts we're particularly good. The space is large and they encourage startups to share offices there. read more

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My job history from first to current: * Hostess at local pizzeria (2 years) * Server at local pizzeria (7 years) * Unpaid Intern at custom handbag design company (3 months) * Cubicle slave + grunt work b*tch at custom handbag design company (5 years) * Server at local brewery (2 years) * Unpaid intern for a certain review-based website (1 year) * Bartender at local brewery (1 year) * Bartender at local craft beer bar (1 year) * Paid intern at a certain review-based website (1 year) *** Community Manager at certain review-based website (1 year) I got my first job as soon as I turned 16, worked full time through college, then spent the next decade working 2-3 jobs at the same time to pay off those god-forsaken student loans so today I could stand before you and declare that I finally have my dream job and I only have roughly 30 more years of student loans until I'll have the interest paid off. I have to admit that up until recently I haven't had the most impressive track record for jobby jobs, but now that I've got said dream job, it's about time I learned how to work like a wo-man with a plan, on a mission to succeed and thanks to 1871 I can totally copycat other people on the same mission and look like I know what I'm doing. Okay, not quite. I know a bit about what I'm doing but the problem I have is finding the right venue to get it done when I don't have an official work office. Working from home is great and all, but sometimes a gal just needs a change of scenery to get out of a writing rut and get those new ideas flowing. Usually when people have this sort of issue they seek refuge at a local coffee shop but I suffer from the inability to focus when the people around me aren't focusing, so 1871 is a great alternative for me--a big open space, a quiet Intelligentsia coffee shop and hundreds of bustling entrepreneurial minds hard at work on the next big thing. Nose, meet Grindstone. Seeing people so focused and motivated to make big things happen is a major cheerleader for my own work ethic. And while 1871 is kind of a major sausage-fest, it still makes me feel abnormally jubilant to be around so many like-minded individuals. Now, if only it were easier to get to/park for a person of my locale. read more

1871 - From 1871's Intelligentsia. - Product Design Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicago FINALLY has it's own little taste of Silicon Valley! Approximately 7 years ago I started working for a tech startup, which was pretty unconventional living in Chicago among the millions of people who work at ad agencies, law firms, etc. Years later Groupon, Belly and a few other start-ups (at the time) decided to make Chicago their home and proved that tech companies can be started outside of Silicon Valley. Imagine that! And now 1871 has made a home at the Merchandise Mart, housing 180+ lucky startups. While my little startup has grown up into an established company we were lucky enough to get an associate membership* at 1871 and for $300/month we can take advantage of the facilities, programming and social network of 1871. I've enjoyed working there on several occasions and find the energy to be quite inspiring. It's also super cool to see so many different types of tech companies coming out of this incubator. Well done Chicago! 1871 itself only has 6 employees so getting a response via email or phone can be a bit challenging. However, if you have a little patience and a great idea I highly recommend applying to make this your office space. While their regular memberships may seem a bit expensive for your startup I personally think you can't beat the price considering the location and what you'll get access to by being part of this incubator. read more

A new center for digital entrepreneurship and collaboration in the River North area. Opening May 2nd on the 12th floor of the Merchandise Mart, this space will be a great hub for people looking for a collaborative space to work in and among other emerging digital ventures. Starting today, it will open on a limited basis for scheduled events. The best part? It will also house Intelligentsia's 4th Chicago location: http://www.1871.com/2012/03/announcing-intelligentsia-1871/ This will be a great addition to Chicago's tech and entrepreneurial scene and the River North neighborhood! read more

1871 - Product Design Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Mentioning that I was visiting from out of state, I received a private tour. Startups and growing digital companies are outrageously lucky to have this gem in Chicago. I could easily see startups relocating their headquarters to 1871 just to be part of the community. YouTube videos and the website do it no justice. Floods of natural lighting, beautiful modern spacious decor, comfy & stylishly functional furniture, beautifully friendly but focused & determined dreamers...hell, if Chicago wasn't so damn cold (even in July!) I'd relocate my startup here. They offer an impressive array of resources; classes, workshops, mentorships, social events, featured speakers (Mark Cuban), etc. During my time, I met & chatted with 3 founders of brilliant startups, observed a VC in a meeting with a group, and just took in the radiating vibe of innovation and progress. I was greeted by many with bright-eyed smiles and head-nods. I was ready to wip out my laptop and get to work. Really didn't want to leave. Spent about 30min here. Was better for the experience. read more

1871 - The home of innovation. - Product Design Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

#1871 This was a wonder event I had a great time it was a very Diverse crowd and all the venders were wonderful not to mention the food was amazing and I will be highly recommending them for all work functions you can go wrong. read more

What a great venue to be inspired by others that could be making their business dream a reality. I was here for the ChiBuys event, and couldn't be more impressed with the organization and the support they provide to the community. I wasn't even aware that it existed. The space is great and could easily be used for all types of parties. It's a pretty open canvas for people to decorate and add a stage and floor and make it really what they want. I do wonder what the cost might be to rent. read more

This is my home, and this will always be my home. Kevin Willer gave us our start, and we are indebted to him. Howard Tulman took the reigns and has been nothing short of phenomenal. 1871 is an incubator that is about companies becoming better. As we become better, so does the incubator. That's the beauty of this place.....it just gets better. I am proud to be a member here. read more

1871 has been the answer to my poor personal hygiene! As a home office professional for the last 4 years it's been extremely easy to string a set of days together without showering, but ever since I've had access to this "Silicon Valley of Chicago" I no longer smell like a burning baby's diaper. Besides forcing me to bathe this space exudes innovation as it's home to some of the most promising tech start ups in Chicago. Membership is an application process and the lifespan has a time limit with the idea being that eventually an app, website, or other creation will grow big enough to get their own office. If you take a tour it's really just a big ass coffee shop with a bunch of private rooms, but with stuff like bean bag chairs, scooters, free seminars, and wine mixers it's totally the office feel that you'd expect from a cool start up company. read more

This is the coolest office I have ever seen. Like I couldn't believe it was real. I adored al of the art and felt so inspired while I was there. It's an environment that is so supportive and stimulating. What a fantastic place to work! read more

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SILICON CITY When you walk in here, all you feel is energy and I love it. I was lucky enough to consult in Silicon Valley for almost 18 years and this is one of the feelings I always loved about my frequent trips to the West Coast. I never saw anything like it in all of my travels. Here were these amazing companies with great ideas and they were having fun doing it. Fast forward to 1871 in Chicago, 1871 is bringing that energy and creativity to Chicago. There are so many amazing companies here and they all feed off of each other. Every company has a different level of membership. Some have offices, while others share offices or you can even get space in the common areas. The energy in here is infectious. To be around all of these great ideas is enough to make you want to go to work every day and night. They also do some nice mixers on Friday nights. Nothing says creativity like a cheese platter and a industrial fridge full of craft beer. I guarantee if you did not have a good idea before your first bottle of beer, you will have some great ideas, after your second bottle of beer. Plus cheese makes everything better. I am so proud to see my city have such a great space like this to create amazing ideas. Now if we could just pay our Engineers the West Coast money they want, then Chicago would be on fire when it comes to these type of tech companies. 1871 is revolutionizing the future of our World and I am so glad that it is in my backyard! read more

1871 is a great place for the start-up community to gather around together and collaborate with this amazing energy that spreads through-out the 55,000sqft building with an entrepreneurial vibe. Pretty decent pricing for the shared monthly that guarantees 24/7 access in the epic Merchandise Mart. Being compared to most incubators in Chicago, this may be the best due to it's location. Can't complain having restaurants and even the CTA inside your building, as well don't forget Intelligenstia Coffee that's literally your neighbor. It definitely has it's downsides thought besides the awesome community and orientations every friday.. It can get very crowded as most times, where you may not be even to find a decent seat and I believe it's over it's capacity as it is right now. Some really big issues, that I feel everyone should know is that this place has everything you could want except it's two core features of what an incubator should offer.. GOOD INTERNET and ERGONOMIC SETUPS. If you go to 1871, prepare for having constant downtime with the internet with speeds reaching a "whopping" 5-6mbps on good days with the WiFi dropping out every 4-5 minutes while you get to sit in chairs worse than your typical library in Compton, CA to just as worst 'desks' to go with the combo. If you're starting an incubator.. You must think of the most two important things.. The people who working there are probably spending 16+ hours a day/7 days a week (such as me and every other start-up scenario) in this place. They need a comfortable place to sit while ergonomics should be put in place unless they want to kill off everyone with carpal tunnel and repetitive stress injuries AND at least decent internet so you can depend on the place to at least check your email! I've found myself leaving the office many times just because I couldn't stand sitting there anymore cause it's so uncomfortable and to top it off the internet wasn't even working. So to everyone who's thinking of coming here, if having a comfortable shared desk and decent internet, this may not be your type of place. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this place besides these inconveniences.. I felt giving 1871 2 stars, does it's justice because I strongly believe ergonomics and good internet is a MUST for start-ups. read more

Welcome to a mini Silicon Valley, Chicagoans. 1871 is a pretty fantastic co-working hub that lends itself beautifully to tech and start up companies. And while I wouldn't go so far to say that I feel *smarter* when I leave 1871, I feel a bit more inspired and maybe just a tad cooler. Just a tad. The space itself is pretty expansive! You'll find a nice, open lobby area with Intelligentsia coffee and a cornucopia of snacks, communal tables, couches and partitioned off areas for a bit more privacy. Beyond the more social areas there is a nice selection of conference rooms, both big and small, as well as classroom spaces - all which can be reserved in advance. If I lived closer, I'm sure I'd be hitting up 1871 to get work done very often, as you can certainly carve out a quiet space to focus. Now, if we could only get the parking to come down a bit in the area, it'd be golden! read more

After my third visit, I'm getting a better sense of this place and what to expect. First of all, I appreciate having a workplace away from home to go to. I'm easily distracted by what's going on around me when I'm not in familiar surroundings, but here I'm able to zone out as long as I'm in one of their conference rooms - even if I'm with a group of colleagues all working around the same table. The conference rooms and facilities are top notch. Nice clean rooms, excellent lighting with doors that close tight to keep the sound out when meeting with colleagues. The one thing that gets me each time, and I came prepared for it, is the fact that it can get chilly in the building. Really chilly, so make sure to bring a jacket or sweater. Also, the conference rooms can be reserved for just 2 hours at a time. So, prepare your lunch hour accordingly because you might not have a room to come back to. A great getaway from the home office with a coffee area onsite and the ability to bring food in for lunch. But, prepare to pay for parking and battling the downtown traffic if you're not getting dropped off. read more

World class facility! This is what Collaboration looks like! Congratulations to the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, Built in Chicago, 1871 and the individual contributors that have made this facility possible. You can't help but feel the energy and commitment when you walk in for an event. So many great ideas incubating, growing and the number of jobs being created. I'm thrilled to be a spectator and look forward to getting involved at a much more profound level! read more

1871 - Product Design Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Friendly culture; "Happy Friday Eve," woman upon checking in is the best! Excellent workshops; ample work/office space; productive place to call a second office. Plenty of members practically camp out here. 1871: creativity and effervescence. read more

My organization has permanent offices located in 1871. The space is great. There is a large communal kitchen and dining area with dishwashers, microwaves, and a panini press. Memberships range from day to off-peak hours to monthly, depending on your start-up company's needs. Membership has its perks. There is access to a printer, wireless internet, conference rooms ranging from a 1 person phone room to 14 people conference rooms that members can sign up for, and there's a happy hour with free food and beer on Fridays at 4pm. There are also workshops and offices hours offered by an ever-changing list of movers and shakers in the Chicago business community. The member wireless internet is pretty fast and is powered by Comcast. There is also a guest wireless internet which you need to go to the front desk to get the password. It changes every week. There's also a small market and Intelligentsia located in house. Access to 1871 is restricted off hours to members with access cards. The elevators (Orleans St) stop running at 6pm, M-F, but you can use the Corporate Elevators around the corner and down the corridor. One note: The gate for entrance to 1871 may or may not be open prior to 9am so keep that in mind when scheduling meetings in the morning. read more

1871 - Testing the wireless 8/22/13 - Product Design Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here a few weeks back to present to a group of startups. I personally think the location is as perfect as it gets. It's situated directly on the L and dozens of food options all within the building. Internet Speed - Some people in their reviews mentioned they had a speed issue but when I was on the guest network I was getting well over 25MB down which is more than I would ever need. Overall environment is pretty fun and inviting and to some extent exciting because you never know which company will hit it big and be the next Facebook or Twitter. Only thing I would have a concern with is the AC. It was so cold that my fingers were turning blue but this could be a common office issue. Otherwise great place for startups to take flight and expand! read more

What a great space. I went here for the national Startup America Summit and fell in love with that space. It is a concentration of talent and entrepreneurial spirit which I have not seen before. The space is also hosting Excelerate Labs, a local accelerator program for new start-ups. read more

LOVE!! This is such a great incubator for tech/digital start-ups based in Chicago. The space is well designed the reception desk girls are always welcoming and the event they have here are better than great. We are so lucky to live in such a forward thinking city!!! read more

Who would've thought that a tech incubator could not only survive in Chicago but thrive for 5 years! It's super fun going into the space and being surrounded by all the start-ups eager to tell you everything they're passionate about. Can't wait to come back to celebrate their 6th anniversary. read more

I would not recommend renting from 1871 unless your company has a clear business case for doing so. I purchased a short membership from them on behalf of my company, and the email correspondence for invoicing me was responsive. But once I arrived, they made a fairly bad impression. Their memberships guy offered to showed me around, started to, then asked me to wait and never came back. They said their "system" for issuing access cards was down, which resulted in me being collared at the door by reception probably 50% time I entered the space each day I was there. It got old quick. Ok facilities and food/bev for purchase. read more

alright.... I am hoping in advance that this is a review that goes through an evolution. I'm starting with two stars because as a "walk in", looking for some additional information in person versus on line, I was directed to go on line. There were 4 people at the front desk and all of them looked at me like what I was asking was a ridiculous notion. Anyway, the place looks very nice, and is comfortable. I don't see where the designers/ developers sit.... maybe I'll figure that our another day. I, just like one of the other of the reviewer here, will give it a couple more visits before I pass final judgment. For now only 2 outta 5. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants - mainly because the beer and pizza are free on Fridays. Also, in all seriousness - a point about the internet - if you're in Reserved space and you use the wired ethernet, you get 320 Mbps down and 60 up. 320! That's the fastest I've ever used in my life by a wide margin. I don't even know what to do with that kind of bandwidth. The chairs are also very comfortable in here. For a company with some level of revenue or funding reserved space is worth it. Shared space can be a little rough. Only complaint: the convenience foods are too expensive. read more