Coworking spaces existed before WeWork, but WeWork did cause an explosion of them (at least in NYC metro and Houston - the two places I've lived during this explosion). But the cost prop just isn't there in a lot of cases.
I just recently looked up a bunch of various coworking spaces in Houston, and the monthly shared desk pass averaged $450/mo with dedicated desks and offices starting at $700-1000.
And I find that weird, because all across Craigslist (in between the "executive office" and coworking spam) there are dedicated small offices (60-100 sqft) that go for around the same price as a shared desk. Almost always they include the same amenities (coffee, snacks, drinks), but it is in a boring office building or in another company's office build-out that they have no need for.
I just recently looked up a bunch of various coworking spaces in Houston, and the monthly shared desk pass averaged $450/mo with dedicated desks and offices starting at $700-1000.
And I find that weird, because all across Craigslist (in between the "executive office" and coworking spam) there are dedicated small offices (60-100 sqft) that go for around the same price as a shared desk. Almost always they include the same amenities (coffee, snacks, drinks), but it is in a boring office building or in another company's office build-out that they have no need for.