Hold the foosball

Co-working spaces are popping up all over the Tampa Bay region. Tampa has the Oxford Exchange, CoCreativ, Tampa Bay WaVE and CoWork Tampa in Ybor City. In downtown St. Petersburg, Station House Arcade will soon complement the popular Station House.

Freelancers, entrepreneurs and startups are the ideal customers for such venues. They don't require or aren't ready to put down roots at a permanent location and pay the attendant overhead. Co-working spaces are also handy for out-of-town business travelers who want to get out of their hotel or conference center.

But what about the established national company that wants to expand into a booming market like the Tampa Bay region, where commercial real estate vacancy rates are low and prices high? Or what about the up-and-coming local business owner who doesn't want to commit to a long-term lease for fear of outgrowing the location?