As I walked through The Malin, picking a spot to settle down for a day of writing was hard. Every inch of the space is filled with color, texture, and natural light. It’s quiet, save for the click of keyboards and the hiss of a luxe coffee machine cranking out a cappuccino. The Malin has landed in Wedgewood-Houston, and it’s changing Nashville’s remote coworking landscape. I talked to the founder and CEO, Ciarán McGuigan, about the brand’s newest opening here in town.
A family furniture business expands to the working world.
Ciarán grew up in a family of creatives but wasn’t always sure where he’d fit into the design world. “In the 1970s, my parents started a furniture business that bridged the gap between Scandinavian aesthetics and their Irish heritage,” he tells me. “After years of studying film at SCAD and then playing professional soccer, I joined the family business and relaunched the brand in NYC in 2019 with the help of friends.”
When the working world began to evolve during the pandemic, Ciarán saw a unique opportunity. The Malin was born to cater to the professional class with a bespoke, concierge-style product that had yet to exist in the market. “We opened our first location in Soho in 2021,” he adds.
The Malin’s “work beautifully” ethos is simple and effective.
As someone who’s worked at The Malin for a few days since its opening, working in such a beautiful space is genuinely inspiring and makes me want to be productive. Ciarán tells me it’s all by design. “Our perspective is that beautiful spaces cultivate good work,” he says. “Color, specifically, is great for inspiration and energy, so we don’t shy away from vibrant interiors. Our spaces and furniture are custom-designed for work. Various seating options, appropriate chair and table heights, and an abundance of power outlets empower our members to work wherever and however suits their needs.”
Why tap Nashville as city number two after NYC?
Ciarán and his team had been eyeing Nashville from the very beginning. “The city is an ever-evolving cultural hub,” he says, “home to some of the world’s biggest names in tech, music, and food; we knew it would be a great place for us to serve the local professional community. I also have personal ties to the city. My wife, Logann, is from Nashville, so we’re happy to be back.”
“Expanding outside New York City is a huge milestone for us,” Ciarán adds. “We’ve tried and tested our model in three neighborhoods in NYC, and they’ve each proved hugely successful. We’re really proud to now bring our brand to a different city and engage with new communities to offer high-touch and high-design coworking spaces. Of course, witnessing our members’ success is the icing on the cake, and we’ve been privileged to have businesses launched, clients won, and books written in our workspaces.”
The Malin’s interiors and artwork reflect Nashville’s local culture.
I first toured the space with Graham Harlin, The Malin WeHo’s general manager. She waved to members, and we ogled as local florist Avon from Ostara Gardens designed fresh displays of flowers, greenery, and giant wood branches. Graham explained that they’re trying to tap into Nashville’s unique entertainment world, showing me the podcast studio and some private rooms that might open up for songwriting soon.
“We aim to keep a consistent design language while incorporating local influences and artists at each location,” Ciarán says, citing Nashville-based photographer Eric Ryan Anderson’s work throughout. “We also paid homage to the fact that the Wedgewood-Houston club resides within the city’s first mass timber building, so we incorporated strong, pine wood beams complemented by bespoke millwork — a signature to our brand.”
What The Malin is NOT
“Ultimately, our approach at The Malin is simple: to offer beautiful, functional workspaces that enable our members’ best work,” Ciarán says. “We are decidedly not event programmers or food and beverage operators because we believe in the value of providing a beautiful, focused, reliable, and uncompromised workspace. We also are not exclusive and welcome people of all professional industries to join in membership, which makes for a rich, dynamic, and symbiotic member community.”
Some exciting things on the horizon
The Malin’s second Nashville location will soon open in the Paseo development of the emerging South Gulch neighborhood. “We look forward to partnering with an external design team for this property and neighboring esteemed local businesses like The Catbird Seat, The Patterson House, and Maíz de la Vida. For your Texan readers, I’m happy to share that we have an East Austin location opening early this summer!” says Ciarán.
Interested in The Malin? Come experience it for a day.
The Malin has the resources of an office (hello, PRINTER!) while maintaining the comfort and convenience of home. Graham proudly showed me the wellness room for new mothers to pump. “Our team comes from some of the country’s leading hospitality brands, so we know exactly how to provide high-touch concierge-level support,” says Ciarán.
There are many different levels of memberships at The Malin, from access to the communal spaces to a dedicated desk, day passes, and private room bookings. “When you join The Malin, you’re serviced by a team that cares about your success while also joining an incredible community of driven professionals who share the same level of dedication to their work,” says Ciarán.
Thanks for chatting, Ciarán, and for showing me the space, Graham. If you are interested in checking out The Malin Wedgewood-Houston, email Graham Harlin at [email protected]. All photos by Sean Robertson.
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