Part coworking space and part social hub, Maeve House was founded by Sierra Bailey and her husband Adam Fujawa to give people in South Austin a space to connect with their community in a welcoming environment.

After working as a self-employed artist since the early 2000s, Bailey recognized the growing need for a space where people could gather, work and socialize outside of traditional settings like restaurants or bars.

“In my journey, I’ve found that when I am self-employed, it's very lonely,” Bailey said. “...South Austin has struggled to have community-oriented places to bring people together. With our [hospitality] background, we thought we could make something that brings all this together. So we talked to people in the community, put pen to paper and we ended up with the idea of a membership-based club that had events and coworking.”

Maeve House offers a variety of membership options to suit different needs. For those seeking a place to work, Maeve House features coworking memberships starting at $200 per month for part-time access—up to 20 hours per week—and $500 per month for unlimited use. The coworking environment operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., in a beautifully designed space that feels more like a welcoming living room than a traditional office.

A social membership, which costs $50 per month, provides access to the space’s vibrant calendar of events, ranging from yoga classes and happy hours to trivia nights and group walks. Members can also rent the conference room or the entire building for private events. Conference rooms can be rented at any time, but the entire building may only be rented on nights and weekends so as not to disrupt coworking hours.

Maeve House offers between 12 and 20 private social events per month that cater to a range of interests and personalities.

“It's just giving them an opportunity to go and meet people without the pressure,” Bailey said. “I think that the biggest impact this will have is giving people in the community who are feeling a little lonely, maybe people without a group, to have a place where they belong and where they feel really welcome.”

Bailey said her goal is to provide a mix of structured and casual gatherings to provide something for everyone.

“I'm a people-loving introvert,” Bailey said. “I like to have some events that are very structured where you're not just thrown into a room to talk to people.”

Clubs like Lunch Club, Mind and Body Club, and Fun Club meet regularly, offering everything from yoga to game nights and movie screenings.

Looking ahead, Maeve House plans to expand its outdoor space. The space will soon feature native Texas plants and paths for working or relaxing outside. Bailey said she also envisions a maker market that highlights local businesses and artisans in the community.

“If people are feeling like they want a place where they can go and belong that’s very non-judgmental and laid back, that is there.”

Maeve House is located at 1200 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin. For more information, or to become a member, visit www.maevehouse.com.

The above story was produced by Multiplatform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.