Saltbox Opens Co-Warehousing Space For SMBs

To provide small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with co-warehousing and coworking space, Saltbox opened a 27,000-square-foot facility in Atlanta, according to an announcement.

Saltbox said the building is different from most coworking spaces as it brings together the benefits of warehousing space like loading docks, storage and photography capabilities, among others, with the appeal of a traditional coworking facility.

The company said Atlanta has a diverse and growing ecosystem, with new firms, new talent, more connectivity, and greater capital. It said it will make a $5.6 million economic impact on the local economy with the funds invested in the building and the jobs made. As it stands, the company said it supports more than 20 companies and has more than 30 members. The first members have businesses in diverse industries like household goods, technology and beauty.

“We’re thrilled to have officially welcomed our founding members into the Saltbox space and are looking forward to welcoming many more in the coming months,” said Tyler Scriven, Salbox co-founder and CEO. “We created this concept because we saw a need for it. There’s no shortage of growing small businesses and entrepreneurs in Atlanta, but there was a shortage of purpose-built space that allows a business to operate like a business, store and ship product, and also provide a community of peers and collaboration. Saltbox is the solution.”

Companies are seeking smaller warehouses and industrial spaces that are close to major cities with the growth of online shopping and the push for faster delivery. Consulting firm CBRE Group said in October that demand for warehouses from 70,000 to 120,000 square feet is driving up rents.

And, in May, a Seattle-based startup that manages an on-demand warehouse marketplace, Flexe, notched $43 million in a series B funding round. At the time, it was noted that Flexe had found a niche that would help its efforts to take marketplace control away from Amazon and offer clients an alternative to the logistics firm.