Pop.In is determined to alter how we view space. Specifically, the concept of first, second, and third spaces.

First spaces are our homes, second spaces are our jobs, and third spaces are anywhere that doesn’t fall in those previous categories. During the COVID-19 pandemic we felt the first merger, with the second and the third completely lost. At the beginning it felt like a gift. No commute, Zoom Calls in pajama pants, complete reports on the couch. But the longer the pandemic lasted the more we began to crave the social interaction that came from being part of an office. While some workplaces have reopened their doors, hundreds haven’t, leaving employees isolated to their homes and the occasional catch-up over coffee.

This is the community Pop.In hopes to serve.

Co-Owner Nicole O’Rear explains, “I think it goes back to truly our hearts’ desire to create a place where people feel at home.”

This sense of “home away from home” within Pop.In could be found in a variety of places. It was conceptualized and is managed by Kyle and Nicole O’Rear who have found ways to infuse comfort into traditional Western workspaces.

The location is in the heart of Cumming City Center; one look out the window and you catch glimpses of a bustling Forsyth. But maybe the true genius is in the layout.

Riding up a silver elevator you step out to a crossroad of hallways. You can go right and see office spaces, each customized by their business owners, or turn left and see a few conference rooms/event spaces. There are phone booths to take business calls, and suites to record podcasts and hold counseling sessions.

Follow the path and walk into an open area filled with couches and tables for the non-tethered employees. See a lawyer chatting up a graphic designer, while a writer stretches out over a plush couch. The walls are lined with illustrations of palm trees in soft pinks and blues inspired by Nicole’s childhood in warm and welcoming Miami.

But what I truly think steeps Pop.In in a sense of “welcoming” is the kitchen. Instead of just a hallway of clunky vending machines or a half-filled Keurig, Nicole and Kyle designed Pop.In with a kitchen to set the tone of the whole space; an accent wall covered with lush leaves, and shelves of plants and dishes. Beside it is a shelf of photos of all the businesses that rent space in Pop.In called “The Family Wall.”

That is the real magic of Pop.In. It is a rare space where you can rent out a room for a party, catch professionals from opposite industries swapping perspectives, and grab a snack from the kitchen.

And as far as Pop.In’s future goes, Nicole says it’s about expanding its community.

The next time you need to take a Teams call anywhere but home, or plan a trivia filled office retreat, head over to Cumming City Center and visit Pop.In. You’ll be glad you did.