AKRON, Ohio — Bounce Innovation Hub in Akron is preparing to reopen to the public next Tuesday, May 12.
The business accelerator and incubator program is taking extra steps to make sure people feel safe and comfortable coming back inside.
The building, which spans 300,000 square feet and nine floors, also houses a co-working and event space and a cafe. During the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide stay-at-home order, essential businesses have still been able to operate, including those sewing masks and 3D printing face shields for frontline workers in local hospitals, but Bounce Innovation Hub has been closed to the general public.
From requiring everyone to wear face coverings or masks in the building's public areas and common spaces to making sure tables and chairs are spread out to keep people socially distanced, Bounce Innovation Hub is making sure to provide a clean and safe space for everyone.
"We think it’s the right thing we do," said CEO Doug Weintraub. "We have to get back to commerce, we have to get back to business."
Weintraub said he thinks it can be done safely.
"The goal is to try to get some normalcy back to the operation, and for people to see other people and work together in a socially distanced way," Weintraub said, adding he thinks this might be the way businesses operate in the future.
Bounce Innovation Hub has taken what Jessica Sublett, the chief operating officer, considers to be relatively inexpensive, simple steps, from putting hand sanitizer around the building to taping the floor to indicate which direction people should walk.
"We actually measured out spaces, we taped off areas, we removed chairs, we moved tables around," Sublett said. "We made it so that, wherever you sit, you’re going to be socially distanced from somewhere else."
While Gov. Mike DeWine has highly recommended people wear face masks in public and in stores, Bounce takes it a step further by making it a requirement for everyone. Signs posted in the building remind people to wash their hands, stay home when they're feeling sick and disinfect surfaces after using them.
Weintraub understands that some people might not come back, despite these precautions.
"I think there’ll be people that are nervous. We’ve heard that before," Weintraub said. "But I also think some people are tired of sitting at home, and they want to get out to a different environment."
Sublett noted that Bounce's programming has continued to operate, albeit virtually, during the stay-at-home order.
"I know that there are a lot of businesses that are hurt by this," Sublett said. "I also know it’s an opportunity for people who might be out of work, who have been thinking about taking that dive into a startup. This is a great opportunity to do that, and there’s resources in Northeast Ohio like Bounce that can help you do that."
For more information on the programs Bounce offers, visit the website here.
