Synergy Mill glues, welds, and stitches a community together
The first thing you notice when you walk into Synergy Mill is everything, all at once. A quick scan of the warehouse and you spot 3D printers, racks of computer parts, and assorted heavy machinery. A “launchpad for adventure,” the non-profit is a new kind of coworking space.
Aside from the usual desks and offices, Synergy Mill provides the space and tools for artists, craftspeople, inventors, and small business start-ups to experiment freely. “We’ve really cultivated a culture here of giving, sharing, curiosity, and making things,” says Joey Loman, executive director and co-founder.
Loman emphasizes that each member contributes to the success of the workshop community. “Everybody gives more than they take, and that’s what keeps the place sustained,” he says. The workshop is entirely volunteer-based; everybody contributes their time and tools.
Some notable artists and groups have benefited from Synergy Mill. Artist Ember Carmilla, of Carousel of Ember Carousel Studios, has been able to use the workshop’s 3D printer and VR tools to scale and design a 10-foot-tall sculpture, and the experimental computing club Alt.computing has found a home to explore folk computing and radio-electronic software.
Recently, the Synergy Mill community members pitched in to move the workshop to a new location at Cessna Court, which officially opened May 1. Loman is looking forward to creating more designated work and meeting spaces, as well as developing a business incubator program. As a collaborative makerspace, Synergy Mill lowers barriers to access and tools that allow people to learn transferable skills and experiment with their ideas.
The relationships forged at Synergy Mill go beyond the projects in the workshop. From Monday night jam sessions to help with home projects, Loman has created a third place where members are part of something bigger. “Of all the things we make at Synergy Mill,” he says, “friends are the thing I like best.”
Synergy Mill is open 9a.m. to 8pm at 31 Cessna Ct., Greenville. Drop in for quick repairs or commissioned projects, or become a member for 24-hour access to creative tools and collaboration.
