The Spark Plaza is a co-working community building located in downtown Johnson City, 404 S. Roan St., where the do-ers of the world can come together and find the perfect workplace for them. Based on a multi-level subscription system, there are perks for all members to enjoy and take advantage of.

Jose David Castillo is the co-founder and president of Spark Plaza along with his wife, Shannon, and they have been in business for 15 years. Always having a unique interest in creative-field jobs, Castillo opened Spark Plaza because of his own preferred remote working style. Growing up, his father owned an advertising agency for more than 20 years, and his family consisted of artists, entrepreneurs and other creative-based jobs.

“I definitely came from a long line of people on both sides of my family that carved out their own way to work and their own place to work,” Castillo said. “That actually is baked into the DNA of who we are as Spark Plaza.”

Photo of Jose Castillo at Spark Plaza. (Dora Mercado/East Tennessean)

As a serial entrepreneur, Castillo mentioned Spark Plaza began as another project that did not hold much hope in the beginning, but with support from his wife, he was able to open the first phase of the space with only 1,200 square feet in Johnson City. Within six months, the business began to grow with multiple members joining and using the resources Castillo had implemented from the ground up. Now, members from all walks of life are part of the Spark Plaza community from big companies, non-profits, independent artists and everything in between.

In Spark Plaza, there is a conference room named after Castillo’s grandfather, Jose Avito Castillo, who owned an art studio in Mexico City as part of an artist collective called “La Mancha.” During World War II, when artists became the target of persecution, they fled from Europe to Mexico and contributed to the art boom of the era. His grandfather was one of the artist leaders who, after renting out an old, abandoned mansion, opened an artist co-working space for creatives to thrive in their element despite the prejudice they faced at the time. The spirit of “La Mancha,” which translates from Spanish to English as “the mark; stain; splotch,” can now be seen in Spark Plaza’s logo as an orange splash.

“That’s really where I think solid co-working spaces are built around the model of community,” Castillo said. “Around the model of people not just finding a place to work but also to connect.”

Finding a sense of home in Johnson City, Spark Plaza is open to anyone who needs a desk, good internet, reliable resources and their own space to thrive in their work. With a variety of membership options including solitary conference room rentals, temporary desk passes, to high commitment memberships that last more than six months, there is a seat in the plaza for everyone.

Exterior photo of Spark Plaza. (Dora Mercado/East Tennessean)

They also hold events such as their “Spark Women” where women in the workplace can come together and connect while discussing professional growth and opportunities. In addition to rental offices, other perks include wireless printers and scanners, an open kitchenette, a phone booth, 24/7 keyless entry and much more. Growing in their numbers rapidly, Spark Plaza is looking to expand and buy more space for do-ers of the region to take advantage of as well as adding a podcast recording room.

To find out more about Spark Plaza and how to get involved, visit sparkplaza.com/.

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