Beleaguered women’s co-working space The Wing shuts down all of its locations OVERNIGHT
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The Wing — the female-focused co-working space and social club that was billed as a utopia for women — has been shut down overnight after weathering everything from a gender discrimination lawsuit and allegations of racism.
Founded by Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan, the company first launched in New York City in 2016. At the height of its success, The Wing had nearly a dozen locations, including spaces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.
Members found out via email on Tuesday that the six remaining locations that survived the pandemic would be closed effective immediately,’ The New York Times reported.
‘With the backdrop of the Covid pandemic and increasing global economic challenges, we have been unable to recover and grow the level of active membership and event activity necessary to run a financially sustainable operation,’ the letter read.
The Wing’s remaining six locations were shut down by its parent company – International Workplace Group (IWG) – on Tuesday night. Members found out about the closures via email
The women’s co-working space and social club was founded by Audrey Gelman (left) and Lauren Kassan (right) in 2016
A spokesperson for International Workplace Group (IWG) — the parent company of The Wing — declined to specify the size of the co-working space’s current membership, according to The Times.
Members were told they could use IWG’s U.S. locations as a temporary workspace through the end of September.
TikTok user Hannah Eddins opened up about The Wing’s closure in a video that was posted on Wednesday, saying she had ‘major New York City drama to discuss.’
‘I’ve been a member for about six months, since January, and all of a sudden last night at about 8:30 at night we all got an email saying it was shut down immediately [and] indefinitely,’ she said.
Eddins used the app’s greenscreen function to project the letter she received about the closing behind her.
‘This is the email we received blaming it on COVID, but it has entirely opened up,’ she explained. ‘In January, when I restarted my membership, they were talking about all the new things they were doing post-Covid and that they were still doing really well. There’s a lot of speculation it has absolutely nothing to do with Covid.’
TikTok user Hannah Eddins shared a screenshot of the letter in a video that she posted on Wednesday, saying she had ‘major New York City drama to discuss’
Eddins noted that she normally goes to work at 9 a.m. and was given less than 12 hours notice to make other plans
Eddins noted that she normally goes to work at 9 a.m. and was given less than 12 hours notice to make other plans. She also alleged that there were complaints from people who had conference rooms booked and events scheduled in the upcoming weeks.
After citing her own complaint about a previous billing issue and stating she wanted a refund, she insisted she was going to miss it.
‘I absolutely loved The Wing,’ she said. ‘I am so sad that it closed out of nowhere because I would there every day. They had a rooftop. It was so cute. It was not a normal working space. Everyone was so kind, so I am very, very sad about it.’
Some commenters claimed that the employees weren’t given any notice and found out just an hour or so before the members.
Gelman and Kassan opened their first location in the Flatiron District’s historic Ladies’ Mile in October 2016, a month before the presidential election.
The Wing took inspiration from the clubs of the late 19th and 20th centuries that were established by women who were barred from joining male-only clubhouses and educational institutions.
Gelman and Kassan opened The Wing’s first location in the Flatiron District’s historic Ladies’ Mile in October 2016, a month before the presidential election
The Wing took inspiration from the clubs of the late 19th and 20th centuries that were established by women who were barred from joining male-only institutions
Members paid upwards of $250 a month for access to all clubhouses and their facilities, including lactation rooms and phone booths named after feminist icons
After Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton that November, the workspace became a safe haven for women looking for the promise of empowerment and the comfort of millennial pink couches.
Members paid upwards of $250 a month for access to all clubhouses and their facilities, including lactation rooms, phone booths named after feminist icons, and workspaces heated to the female-friendly temperature of 72 degrees.
They were granted access to exclusive events such as intimate talks with Hillary Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and Jennifer Lawrence.
The Wing also offered chartered busses to feminist rallies, classes such as ‘Prenup 101,’ and community discussions with titles like ‘F**k Harvey Weinstein.’
Within three years, the company had a total of 11 locations and had raised more than $100 million in investments, including $28 million from WeWork.
They were granted access to exclusive events such as intimate talks with the likes of Jennifer Lawrence (pictured with Gelman in 2018)
At the height of its success, the company had nearly a dozen locations. Gelman and Aminatou Sow are pictured interviewing Hillary Clinton in 2018
In the past few years, The Wing faced allegations of unethical and racist treatment of its employees, which led to Gelman’s resignation in June 2020
The Wing originally only accepted members who were female-identifying, non-binary, or gender non-conforming.
After outcries over alleged gender discrimination, the New York City Human Rights Commission opened an investigation into how the company operates in 2018.
That same year, a man named James Pietrangelo filed a $12 million against The Wing over its alleged ‘illegal discrimination against men.’
The company quietly altered its membership to include men, telling Insider that the change was in response to a desire to be inclusive to transgender and non-binary members.
Things only continued to go downhill for The Wing after The New York Times published an expose in March 2020 that included allegations of unethical and racist treatment of employees at the company.
The pandemic led to more than 300 people being laid off in the spring of 2020.
As news of The Wing’s shutdown made headlines, a number of people took to Twitter to ask what would happen to the company’s stylish furniture
Employees were offered a one-time relief stipend of $500 that they had to apply for, but not everyone received a check. Some people said the company told them there weren’t enough funds for payment, The Times reported.
Gelman resigned in June 2020, saying that it was ‘the right thing for the business, and the best way to bring The Wing along into a long overdue era of change.’ After she stepped downs, employees organized a virtual strike demanding changes in management.
In February 2021, IWG bought a majority stake in The Wing. Exactly a year later, Jen Cho was promoted from chief marketing officer to CEO. Last month it was announced that she had left the company after less than six months in the position.
As news of The Wing’s shutdown made headlines, people took to Twitter to share their thoughts. Some assumed it had closed months prior while others just wanted to know what was going to happen with the furniture.
‘Whoa. Every Wing location is closing for good effective immediately, per an email to members just now. So long to that weird chapter,’ writer Jessica Blankenship tweeted. ‘Not to be insensitive, but what’s happening to all the furniture.’
‘No joke WHERE will The Wing consignment sale happen and HOW do I get in?’ someone else asked.
Another added: ‘Much like Mikhail Gorbachev, I thought the wing was already dead.’