The Route 1 corridor’s newest event and coworking space is aimed at black entrepreneurs working in creative professions.
Distinctly Creative, which opened in September, is located at 3510 Rhode Island Ave. in Mount Rainier, inside a three-story 1947 brick building being renovated by Daniel Simon, who also owns Hyattsville’s Palmer Building, where Vigilante Coffee is located, and other notable businesses.
Founder Morgan Davis, who is a graphic and fashion designer and business strategist, has worked with Google’s AdWords team and helped businesses as large as the University of Maryland, George Mason University and the National Trust of Historic Preservation with their branding and creative needs. As part of her work with Distinctly Creative, which she founded in 2016, she offers entrepreneurs and others businesses coaching and advice.
Davis told the Hyattsville Wire that the new space is designed as a creative hub for black-owned businesses to sell their goods, hold events and network.
The new creative space in Mount Rainier is also home to a coworking outfit, called Goldn Roots, aimed at black entrepreneurs in creative fields. It includes a “marketplace” featuring 15 black-owned brands in six-week increments, mostly in the fields of fashion, skin and hair care, home goods and visual arts. Davis sells her own line of “Black Creatives Matter” apparel in the marketplace.
“The coworking element is a cost-effective alternative for people that are looking for a few hours here and there to work outside of their house/apt/dorm/etc., and to occasionally meet with clients,” she said.
Davis, who moved to the D.C. area years ago from Michigan to attend Howard University, currently lives in College Park and previously lived in Hyattsville.
“There are so many talented creatives along Route 1, and there’s always something to do when it comes to events, shows, and networking opportunities,” she said.
Distinctly Creative is the first space of its kind in Mount Rainier, joining nearby coworking and event spaces Dream Village and CAMPSpaces in Hyattsville and Five Points Business Center in Woodridge.
Its hours of operation are Thursday through Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m., with extended coworking hours on set days.
