This cool and modern coffee shop inspired office gives employees and visitors a bright communal space to work, connect, and celebrate design together over fresh espresso. The company, Ugmonk, is a minimalist design company crafting artful and functional objects such as office accessories, organizational tools, and notebooks, with premium materials. Previously operating out of home offices and basements, moving into a physical headquarters in Pennsylvania marks an exciting new chapter for the business.
While pursuing a degree in design, Ugmonk’s founder, Jeff Sheldon started submitting t-shirts he’d created for contests and winning. On top of the cash prize, he loved seeing his designs printed on real usable objects, but once a design won, he no longer owned it. Opting to take things into his own hands, a side-hustle was born. Within 2 years, the business became a full-time job.
Always the experimenter, Sheldon started branching out beyond t-shirts into posters, leather journals, and a premium leather mousepad. Ugmonk’s first major hit in the office supply world was called Gather, a convenient modular desk organizer perfect for pens, pins, and post-Its. They created a Kickstarter for the project and raised over $430,000 in 60 days.
Ugmonk’s products are expertly designed and crafted using materials sourced within the US, true to their commitment to leaving the planet better than they found it. They have gathered a passionate community of followers for their durability and minimal look. “When we meet customers, they’re pulling out wallets they bought from us 10 years ago,” said Sheldon. Like Sheldon, they’re a group that are as interested in the functionality of an object as its appearance.
Building a brand around tactility and functionality makes this new physical space essential. “Customers wanted to be able to touch the products,” said Sheldon. “Having a place for everybody to come and see us feels like it was just meant to be—to go beyond the digital.”
Sheldon had been imagining the new Ugmonk space for some time before it came to life in what was once an old papermill on the Brandywine River. “I’ve had the Half Hurdle stools on my mood board for the office for like three years, because I love the aesthetic,” he said. “They tie in with the timeless feel I was going for. I was so excited to find out Grand Rapids Chair was making them in the US.”
In addition to being a place where Ugmonk customers can visit and see the products, it also functions as a communal workspace. Full of natural light and surrounded by greenery, it’s a peaceful spot to enjoy espresso while checking morning emails and chatting with colleagues.
We can’t wait to see what Ugmonk does next. You can check out their products like Gather or Analog, a card system that helps you organize and focus tasks, on their website.
Love the look of our Hurdle Stools? Check them out in other types of spaces, like Tuk Tuk Boom, a breezy and modern Thai and Sushi restaurant.