21 ms·

Hacker Lab Is Closing

165 points by pkdpic 4y ago

pkdpic 4y ago
This is an amazing space. They have a jaw-dropping range of equipment and the cleanest / largest / best shared work space and private offices I've ever had access to. It's unclear what the specific issues causing them to close are but it's definitely not an issue of quality. I have no experience organizing and my free time is unfortunately very limited right now but this seems very much like a place that is worth saving somehow...
- the_biot 4y ago
  It's right there in the announcement, albeit coated in tech-startup babble: they're out of money.
  - throwntoday 4y ago
    - simfree 4y ago
      Community spaces cost real money. You have a choice as a space to price yourself at gym membership levels ($35 to $75 a month), or go higher and add value with storage space, desk space, really nice tools, staff, etc. Do you want to build a space for occasional use by a random, large assortment of people, or one where the members make consistent, weekly use of the space and value the space highly?
      - throwntoday 4y ago
        >storage space, desk space, really nice tools, staff, etc. All of those things besides the tools are a waste of money. The machine shop at my university was free. The foreman filtered morons and transients by throwing a 300-page safety book at anyone who wanted to cross the yellow-black tape. As a consequence everyone who was there really wanted to be. A low membership price puts it in the range of people who just want access to the tools. The kind of people who would also be hanging out when someone new shows up with an idea and a lot of questions. If boutique makerspaces work, then ask yourself why this place failed.
        marcinzm 4y ago
        >The machine shop at my university was free. It wasn't free, it was paid for by the university and it's revenue sources. There is a difference.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        jazzyjackson 4y ago
        vikramkr 4y ago
        If you're planning on building a fountain somewhere else that doesn't already have an aqueduct, then yes absolutely, since that becomes a very relevant piece of information in your cost analysis
        jazzyjackson 4y ago
        OP wasn't suggesting anyone build a machine shop and then not charge money, they responded to this argument above: > Do you want to build a space for occasional use by a random, large assortment of people, or one where the members make consistent, weekly use of the space and value the space highly? by saying that price barrier is not a prerequisite for quality and safety of a space. People can value the space they're in because they were initiated into the culture, not merely because it costs $120/month.
        goodpoint 4y ago
        > It wasn't free, it was paid for by the university and it's revenue sources. There is a difference. No. Free means that the end user does not pay for it. Not that nobody pays for it.
        thrown_22 4y ago
        >. The machine shop at my university was free. Paid for by tax payers is not free. I agree that there should be government investment in hacker spaces since they are just machine shops that aren't stuck in 1950. The name however was stupid and killed any take up by government. Maker spaces were a slightly better rebranding which at least didn't actively push sponsors away. >If boutique makerspaces work, then ask yourself why this place failed. Because at $100 a month it wasn't boutique. If you want the top end you do what universities do: charge $2k a month and give scholarships to the worth while members who can't afford that.
    - slater 4y ago
      "wokeshop"...?
      - throwntoday 4y ago
        The workshop filled with a bunch of "anarchist" flags where no one is doing anything interesting and members seem more concerned with creating an "inclusive" space than engineering. That wokeshop.
        Animats 4y ago
        Oh, you mean Double Union in SF.[1] [1] https://doubleunion.org/membership/ https://doubleunion.org/membership/
        mindentropy 4y ago
        Is that a "wokeshop"?
        throwaway_4ever 4y ago
        "We are a space for nonbinary people and women (trans, cis, intersex, queer, straight, and not-fitting-into-those-labels). Membership is open to all women and nonbinary people, self-identified." You know, it's a little crazy that it's men being constantly accused of sexism in the tech industry when there are hard-coded rules for excluding men from places, employment opportunities, and not simply treating everyone as equals.
        mindentropy 4y ago
        Yes.That objective is totally crazy and I wonder why no one is criticizing it. Crazy stuff.
        the_biot 4y ago
        That is utterly horrifying. It's so nakedly racist and sexist, and proudly so. I comfort myself with the idea that such rabid hatred isn't sustainable in the long run. People mellow out, society mellows out and becomes ever more accepting. Fifty years from now this sort of thing will seem just as alien as, say, the McCarthy era, or indeed the alternate reality of communist states.
    - Animats 4y ago
      What's the "wokeshop"? Humanmade in SF charges US $250/month for access.
- Melting_Harps 4y ago
  > It's unclear what the specific issues causing them to close are but it's definitely not an issue of quality. It's pretty clear that they no longer have enough money to continue operations and were too reliant on non-revenue based sources (grants/partnerships) to keep the doors open which seems to have run dry: The reality is, our organization is unsustainable in its current form. Our revenue streams over the years have been a mix of membership, ticket sales, and office rentals, but heavily reliant on grants and partnerships. At present, without a significant investor, major partnership, or direct injection of funds, our runway is not long enough to make the changes necessary for building long-term self-reliance. It's a shame, looks like a really interesting spot for tinkerers and hackers. Let's hope they do get a chance to come back as they say it will remain in some capacity. Sacramento is a long drive from the bay area, where you'd think most of the target demographic resides, but I'm guessing the rent prices on a space make it untenable.
  - groby_b 4y ago
    > but I'm guessing the rent prices on a space make it untenable. There's quite a bit of industrial space at... let's call it "not entirely unreasonable" prices in e.g. Oakland or other areas further out. As a result, there's really no shortage of makerspaces in the Bay Area. (https://makernexuswiki.com/wiki/Maker_Spaces_In_San_Francisco_area https://makernexuswiki.com/wiki/Maker_Spaces_In_San_Francisc...)
  - public_defender 4y ago
    > too reliant on non-revenue based sources (grants/partnerships) to keep the doors open I looked into joining NYCResistor a while back and the membership fee was quite high (I don't remember it and I don't want to give wrong info). It was the kind of fee that would exclude a lot of people who this kind of space was meant to benefit and undercut the ethos of hacker/makerspaces generally. On the other hand, rent in downtown Brooklyn is really high. It sounds like this space was using grant funding to keep individual fees down and thereby promote accessibility. That's really cool. I am sad to see that they're closing, but this might be better for the community than multiplying membership fee rates or other "revenue" to stay open. It's a hard call and I don't envy them.
evernerdy 4y ago
- dtgriscom 4y ago
  Their policy probably says "everyone must wear masks"; it's irrelevant that you used to be a member. At least they didn't take your money and only then alert you to the issue.
  - sergiotapia 4y ago
    That's an extremely cringe policy in 2022. At this point if you're wearing a mask you are quite a kook. I'm in Miami, I very very rarely see anyone wearing a mask except senior citizens. The way it should be because they are at higher risk of not only covid but flu etc.
    - pedalpete 4y ago
      I think we can get to the point where we're comfortable with people who want to wear masks wearing them, and people who don't want to don't. I don't but I don't think anything less of people who do. I'm probably kookier than they are in most ways. ;)
      - snoopy_telex 4y ago
        Absolutely in agreement here. We have zero clue about their life and the decisions made to get to this point where they’re deciding to wear a mask. Maybe they have auto immune issues, or maybe they just want to. It doesn’t hurt me in any way. Why should I care if they wear a mask or not? And if someone feels better if I wear one, it’s really no skin off of my back. I generally don’t wear a mask anymore, but I have zero issues with those that do. And I respect them for holding to their own in a time where people are judging them as kooks.
      - sergiotapia 4y ago
        That's the thing, people who want to wear them want to force people who don't want to wear them like in OP's message.
throwntoday 4y ago
Went there years ago for an arduino meetup. No one including the organizer knew how to program. They spent a couple hours shilling the egregiously priced membership. Total bummer, was hoping to meet smart people to learn from. Anyway good riddance.
wheresmycraisin 4y ago
I'm a Bay Area -> Sacramento transplant and this doesn't surprise me one bit. The 'tech scene' is essentially dead here.
- pedalpete 4y ago
  Do you mean the tech scene in Sacramento? or the valley more generally?
  - wheresmycraisin 4y ago
    I can only speak for the city of Sacramento and maybe 25 miles of surrounding area including west sac, davis, roseville, elk grove, etc. If you're thinking of moving here from the bay, you're not going to find a local tech job unless you want to make much less money doing gov't related work in ancient versions of C#. There's no meetups, almost no startup support, no good schools to hire from (UC davis is the exception, but I doubt UCD CS students are looking to stay in sac area for jobs). I am speaking in hyperbole, of course, but in general if you're a techie and think Sacramento is just a cheaper Bay Area, you're in for a rude awakening.
    - dopeboy 4y ago
      As someone considering leaving the bay, how do you get your fix? Or do you just network less?
      - wheresmycraisin 4y ago
        Definitely build strong relationships before you move away. Sacramento (and more broadly the rest of california) is nice b/c it isn't too far from the 'action' and you can go back to SF for conferences/accelerator pitches/etc, but you need to network for quality over quantity. And, honestly, I'm getting older so I care less and less about the latest trends or optimizing for total compensation.
    - r0m4n0 4y ago
      The area has had ebbs and flows. There are massive Intel and HP campuses so I wouldn’t say you are not going to find tech jobs but you are right in that tech is a blip on the radar. It’s honestly awesome not having everyone you know being involved in tech. It’s actually a really diverse place, both in what people do for work, economically, and race. Also a lot of long time residents that make it feel much more real than the revolving door of the bay area
NelsonMinar 4y ago
It's a shame to see this closing. They seemed awfully ambitious building out with 4 locations at one point. I imagine Covid was very hard on this. Too far to be practical for Sacramento folks, but the Curious Forge in Grass Valley, CA is still doing well. They're a lot more scrappy and have a long history in the community. https://thecuriousforge.org/ https://thecuriousforge.org/
- pkdpic 4y ago
  Excellent shout out for the Curious Forge and Grass Valley in general! The community up there is a huge inspiration down here in Sacto :)
mrandish 4y ago
It's sad that they couldn't figure out how to make it economically viable as a business, especially after 10 years. IMHO, it's hard to make social entrepreneurship work when there's not a clear priority on creating customer value over social value. Especially around topics which have such high curb appeal (ie democratizing making), yet in actual practice turn into a daily grind of space rentals, equipment rentals and instruction sales. The perennial problem with relying on charitable grants to make budget is that (usually) such grants eventually dry up. Thus, they should only ever be thought of as a short-term launch boost. Fortunately, unlike ten years ago, there are now quite a few local machine shops and other vendors who will do prototyping and short-run manufacturing using CAD, 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, etc. They aren't as cheap as a grant-subsidized charity but the ones I've used are efficient and focused on getting my small jobs done right.
- kennywinker 4y ago
  I’m a member at a local community run (not for profit) hack space, and I have been a member at commercial (for profit) maker spaces. The community run model has a vastly better vibe - better equipment - and is a more open and hackable environment. In my experience, hack spaces, like most of the best things in life, are better when they’re not a for profit business.
- sschueller 4y ago
  Places like this should be publicly funded like libraries. They are for the public good and enable people to use their creativity improving public moral and sometimes enabling someone to build something great they could not have at home. We have publicly paid for workshops here for wood working in many cities and towns. You pay a tiny fee to use the equipment but the rest is paid for by the state. These places are also used to teach "shop" to kids etc. I would love to see the maker spaces get classified as such as well.
- marssaxman 4y ago
  Ten years is actually a pretty good run for a makerspace and I congratulate Hacker Lab for their unusual degree of success. When I founded ALTSpace, in Seattle, back in 2011, there were at least four other public makerspaces in the city, all of which have since closed. A few more have opened since then; some of them have since gone under. Makerspaces are heavily dependent on the energy and involvement of the community which sustains them. You have to be able to turn over your management every couple of years. I don't really know why you would try to run a makerspace like a business. They are fundamentally community-oriented resource and activity spaces. It's much easier to make things work in a bottom-up, volunteer-supported, community-focused non-profit style. It keeps your overhead lower and your potential membership larger. You have to think of it as more like a public library than a machine shop. The utility of a makerspace is strongly related to proximity: the less time it takes to get there, the smaller a job you can reasonably undertake there; the smaller the jobs you feel comfortable doing there, the more often you are likely to show up; the more time you spend there, the better the community works, and the more likely you are to spend time cleaning and maintaining the space. There is therefore a kind of anti-scaling economics at work. A big, well-funded, well-equipped makerspace has to draw people from a large area to support its running expenses. But if it takes you an hour to get to the makerspace, you're only going to go there when you have multiple hours of work to do. How many times a month do you have a big project needing multiple hours of work? That is a single-digit number and for most people a small one. So you have to cast a wider net to support a larger makerspace, but you also have to charge more, which reduces your potential member base. It is a tricky balance to find, and it's even trickier to find much surplus value that could be extracted as profit.
BrianHenryIE 4y ago
I am/was a member of Hacker Lab for the past ~four years. It's one of the best things about Sacramento. My only regret is that I didn't join sooner. It's basically a library for makers with a plethora of equipment I would never justify purchasing for myself, or even have the space for. A co-working space. An event space. There were weeks I spent 50+ hours there. Sacramento library does have a "library of things" and its own makerspace, both showing the library is on the same page, but Hacker Lab is/was a 24 hour space and was light years ahead of any other option in town. Makerspaces are a natural extension of libraries. I learned lots, built lots, started many projects and made many friends. I don't have many photos handy, but here's: * Adding LEDs to my mudguard in the electronics room: https://imgur.com/a/VU7mupx https://imgur.com/a/VU7mupx * Building a sidecar for my dog with the welder etc: https://imgur.com/a/BeM8MFg https://imgur.com/a/BeM8MFg [] Sacramento Public Library - Books are just the beginning https://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Public-Library-Makerspace/ https://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Public-Library-Makerspace/ https://www.saclibrary.org/Books-Media/Specialty-Checkouts/Library-of-Things https://www.saclibrary.org/Books-Media/Specialty-Checkouts/L...
- pkdpic 4y ago
  I agree, my only regret is not discovering them sooner. Id pay three times as much for them to stay open. Seriously...
  - wrycoder 4y ago
    So do some canvassing and make an offer. Maybe they need some new board members to encourage them to cut expenses.
    - pkdpic 4y ago
      I wish I had the capital to just pick up the lease... I seriously would. Do you have any advice on canvasing though?
      - wrycoder 4y ago
cmckn 4y ago
If you’re looking for something similar in Seattle, I like ALT Space: http://www.altspaceseattle.com/ http://www.altspaceseattle.com/ I haven’t been to the new location after their landlord kicked them out earlier this year, but it’s community-run by nice people. It’s a really affordable ($20/month for occasional access) way to have access to equipment without having to own it yourself. The woodworking and sewing stuff have been handy for me. The equipment isn’t super nice or super specialized; just practical things.
- pkdpic 4y ago
  Hell yeah, they should seriously take over Hacker Lab. It's 100% ready to go in terms of space, equipment and local support.
  - simfree 4y ago
    ALTSpace doesn't have those kinds of resources, nor does Black Lodge Research or the other community ran hackerspaces in the area. Hackerspaces generally aren't swimming in money, most don't have any employees and operate due to members donating their time to help the space survive and thrive.
O__________O 4y ago
Anyone looking to start their own maker space might contact this nonprofit maker space, since they have done a number of boot camps on staring them: https://www.maker-works.com/operations-bootcamp https://www.maker-works.com/operations-bootcamp Appears it was pricey though at $2000 per person. Here’s an old course outline: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a2b3cad8a02c7aa57ce3fb0/t/5cc7426b41fbb10001adeec8/1556562539660/CourseOutline.pdf https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a2b3cad8a02c7aa57ce3... If anyone has seen blueprints, guides, etc for starting maker spaces, I would be curious to see them.
- vincnetas 4y ago
  LMGTFY https://hackaday.com/2016/06/16/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-makerspace/ https://hackaday.com/2016/06/16/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-make...
  - O__________O 4y ago
    Yes, that’s Google result, though issue I took with it is it’s unclear if the author has successfully run an economically viable maker space; unlike the link I provided. Author also doesn’t disclose they work for Formlabs; not a significant issue, but nothing less important to me.
cobbzilla 4y ago
Thank you Gina
mugwort13 4y ago
your_challenger 4y ago
I own the website hackerlab.in. If anyone in India is interested to start a hacker space, do DM me. Not anytime soon, but something you maybe interested to start in the long term. DM me on matrix[1] @cj:hackerlab.in or email me on cj@hackerlab.in [1] matrix is a chat protocol. Like XMPP but better. Check out matrix.org and element.io. Also checkout beeper.com
- sandeep1998 4y ago
  I have always wanted to be a member of one. We barely have any such places here.
  - mindentropy 4y ago
    I would pay for a membership if it is somewhere closer to my house and is clean. Most of the time I see labs very disorganized and is hogged by the know it alls.
    - your_challenger 4y ago
      We could start with a CS focused meetup group. There is this meetup group by Phil Eaton[1] which I haven't joined yet. Maybe that would be a great place to start to build a India focused maker group. [1] https://www.meetup.com/hackernights/events/286560187/ https://www.meetup.com/hackernights/events/286560187/ https://github.com/eatonphil https://github.com/eatonphil
      - mindentropy 4y ago
        Hmm. I am more interested in the Maker/DIY culture. Somehow in India we have lost all of this and even if we have, it is pushed to some grungy areas of the city where it is mainly chop shops and scrap dealing. I still remember in the 1980's and 90's when I was a kid where we had a lot of repair shops especially for TV and radio/transistors. It was back when things were costly and people used to repair stuff. Now people don't have the skills to repair any more.
    - 4y ago
sliceform 4y ago
I worked in senior management for a “successful” makerspace and have intimate knowledge of how difficult they are to both run and make profitable. If they are profitable, they tend to operate on razor thin margins. It’s sad because they also tend to produce value disproportionate to their cost, providing real opportunity for people to learn hands-on skills, make products, and start businesses. I’ve seen many lives transformed by having access to tools and a community who know how to support their use. It seems most people start them because it sounds fun. And from the people I’ve talked to, for a while it is fun. The community swoops in the provide free labor and support and it all feels magical. But once this fades and the reality of the challenge sets in, it becomes less fun, less community-centric, and requires serious business chops. You are essentially running 3 businesses. Customer service, manufacturing, and education. You really need to understand the fundamentals of business to make this work. Even then it might fail. If I remember right, tech shop was well into the 8 figures in debt when they went under. Many other spaces have come and gone, too. I also just moved to Sacramento and toured the Hackerlab 1 week before this announcement. It’ll be back in some way, shape, or form, so keep an eye out for that. I’ll be talking with the community over the coming weeks and trying to sort out what the opportunity is. If anyone is considering starting a space or has questions, feel free to reach out. My contact info is in my bio.
- sokoloff 4y ago
  > It’s sad because they also tend to produce value disproportionate to their cost, providing real opportunity for people to learn hands-on skills, make products, and start businesses. If this thesis is true, I wonder why so many hacker/maker-spaces struggle to make ends meet. Is it that the people who are receiving this value don't see (or can't correctly estimate) the value? Or that they see it but due to circumstances can't currently pay for it?
  - marcinzm 4y ago
    When people start the short term value provided is low so they will not pay a lot. When people have acquired those skills they find other places are better to utilize those skills than the hacker/maker-space so they will not pay a lot. They'll have the tools at their new job, buy the specific ones they use or join a more professional workspace that has them.
esel2k 4y ago
As a European working in large corporates and attending this company and government „innovation event“ that never result in more than show and a drink, I wonder why government wouldn’t rather finance such a hackerlab. So much passion and hands-on experience (news-letter, workshops, demon of projects) would connect and create more founders than any of those „innovation theaters“ I attend. Just wondering why governments or companies wouldn’t fund these.
dosman33 4y ago
As a co-founder of a hackerspace this makes me sad to see. I wholeheartedly agree that these spaces provide a value to their communities disproportionate to their cost to operate. However usually these situations come from a lack of time for the board/high-energy-members to participate in the needed fundraising activities. Our space is organized by 100% volunteer effort, I'm guessing there is a similar situation for Hacker Lab (or else this is a fundraising tactic itself, it's been done before by other spaces). In the beginning we had the energy to get a lot of stuff done, but that energy gets consumed by inertia and overhead of keeping a space running once it becomes "successful". Until a space becomes large enough to have a paid board of directors in some form it seems the energy of the board glides downwards over time. However without the overhead of a paid board a space can glide for years on thin margins. I'd say it's almost a catch-22. I don't agree the government should just hand out indefinite free money for these spaces to operate though because it would also kill them in due time. If a space doesn't have people with the drive to keep it running it would likely consume tax payer funds and provide less and less value over time from mis-management. I'm not suggesting grants are not a good thing though, grants have specific goals in mind and start and stop windows of operation. Hopefully they get some angel donors out of this posting to HN ;-).
- tacitusarc 4y ago
  This is completely accurate. I’ve been on the board of a very small makerspace for about a decade now, and our energy has slowly declined. I don’t know what the solution is.
- pkdpic 4y ago
  Thanks so much for the thoughtful insight, this is extremely helpful context during a very upsetting / depressing time as a hacker lab member in a city with no other comparable spaces. If you have any specific advice on ways to seek out angel investors or any general advice on things members could potentially do to help please shout it out or reach out! Thanks again :)
  - dosman33 4y ago
    Fundraising is all about personal connections and networking. Makerspaces usually consist of a majority of introverts to varying degrees. Simply posting to mailing lists and chat channels that you need to raise money is not enough, you have to directly communicate with people on the phone or in person. Step 1: Assemble a squad of folks with energy to push the project forward. How this works depends on what the mood of the board is, and you'll need to work with them on this of course. If they are burned out or don't have the time, you still need to get them on board with the plan and also provide a support plan to get them unburdened. If you are serious about saving your space, start by beating down the door of all current and former members who were better connected in the Makerspace community. Connect with them to build a list of other members who care about your space and get them engaged. Use the phone, email and IM is easy to ignore. You need folks who have the energy to lead the space out of the current rut, so some fresh blood is also important. Connect with anyone involved in non-profit work in general as well. If it's just a matter of the current board being lost on how to fund-raise, then connecting them with people who know how to network within your local non-profit arena is important. Networking with other non-profits in your area is important but it's a little late to start that now. Hopefully your space already has connections, even old ones that have been lost to time that could be revived (by reconnecting with members who maintained those connections in the past). But, if you can't get a team of three or more people energized to save the space then you are very unlikely to move to step 2. Step 2: Once you have a squad, create a plan for financial success for the current year. Assemble a plan of what needs to change with your finances to pull out of this dead-end. You'll have to work with the current treasurer and crunch some numbers to know your monthly expense total. Once you know your monthly shortfall you can attack it (plus the amount to create a cushion of savings). Create a multi-pronged approach to close the gap. Raise dues, create a list of simple workshops than can launch immediately (soldering, anything, and you need instructors ready to run them), and use any other method you've used in the past to cover overhead. Does your state allow non-profits to run raffles? Raffles can be a great way to raise money, but they can take time to setup if your space doesn't already have "raffle infrastructure" in place (in our state it takes ~100 days to process the paperwork to allow non-profits to run a raffle, plus it requires a separate bank account to hold the proceeds). Again, use ANYTHING that has worked before and run it in parallel with new stuff. It's going to be a lot of work. Step 3: The big ask: a member fundraiser in parallel with the above. Identify a funding number that gets your space out of immediate danger, probably three months of overhead expenses. From your squad formed in step 1, identify your most sociable and well connected member('s) and work with them to do a fund drive from members and former members. Go WAY back and find former members who might still be fond of your space even after moving away. Beat the pavement and call these folks on the phone, preferably by people who knew them when they were still active in your community. Call current members who still pay monthly but don't show up. Mainly think of folks who are more well off, be careful to not put off members who their dues represents more of a burden than others. If you can locate a whale who is willing to make a relatively large donation, make it "if we raise $xxx so-and-so will match the donation!!". Usually these folks are happy to donate even if a matching contribution is not met, but it helps drive urgency. Step 4: Follow through. This is the hardest part, if you pull things out of the ditch this month you can't stop. You didn't put all this energy into the space this month only to let it die the next month. Maby a periodic fundraiser for the public. Writing grants takes experience, connecting with folks who have experience is good, but it can be learned. Networking with other non-profits pays a lot of dividends though. Co-hosting workshops with other non-profits is a great way to integrate (or re-integrate) into your community. This can spark interest from other people with experience who may want to help your space with leadership and fundraising experience. Addendum: The way you communicate is important. Once you have a recovery plan that works on paper announce it to the members via your usual communication channels, then start reaching out via the phone. Be positive with a path forward out of closure, marketing is important. You don't want to make people feel shame, but you do need to communicate the seriousness of the situation (which is already communicated at this point). Shame in a volunteer-oriented community just drives people away. It seems strange to say these things but one never knows what the level of communication experience one is walking into when making suggestions like these. Good luck!
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
KiDD 4y ago
I wish I was able to be a more active member of the hacker lab community. RIP
cowboynwf 4y ago
I've been a friend of Gina for a long time, and HL used to be a second home for me. This is sad and I wish Gina well in her next adventure.
ginaathackerlab 4y ago
Thank you so much everyone! So much love for our community. The work we have done has been one of the best gifts of my life. We are moving into a smaller space and pivoting but we are continuing the good fight and good work. More to come- love G @HackerLab

165 points by pkdpic 4y ago

This is an amazing space. They have a jaw-dropping range of equipment and the cleanest / largest / best shared work space and private offices I've ever had access to. It's unclear what the specific issues causing them to close are but it's definitely not an issue of quality. I have no experience organizing and my free time is unfortunately very limited right now but this seems very much like a place that is worth saving somehow...

the_biot 4y ago
It's right there in the announcement, albeit coated in tech-startup babble: they're out of money.
- throwntoday 4y ago
  - simfree 4y ago
    Community spaces cost real money. You have a choice as a space to price yourself at gym membership levels ($35 to $75 a month), or go higher and add value with storage space, desk space, really nice tools, staff, etc. Do you want to build a space for occasional use by a random, large assortment of people, or one where the members make consistent, weekly use of the space and value the space highly?
    - throwntoday 4y ago
      >storage space, desk space, really nice tools, staff, etc. All of those things besides the tools are a waste of money. The machine shop at my university was free. The foreman filtered morons and transients by throwing a 300-page safety book at anyone who wanted to cross the yellow-black tape. As a consequence everyone who was there really wanted to be. A low membership price puts it in the range of people who just want access to the tools. The kind of people who would also be hanging out when someone new shows up with an idea and a lot of questions. If boutique makerspaces work, then ask yourself why this place failed.
      - marcinzm 4y ago
        >The machine shop at my university was free. It wasn't free, it was paid for by the university and it's revenue sources. There is a difference.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        jazzyjackson 4y ago
        vikramkr 4y ago
        If you're planning on building a fountain somewhere else that doesn't already have an aqueduct, then yes absolutely, since that becomes a very relevant piece of information in your cost analysis
        jazzyjackson 4y ago
        OP wasn't suggesting anyone build a machine shop and then not charge money, they responded to this argument above: > Do you want to build a space for occasional use by a random, large assortment of people, or one where the members make consistent, weekly use of the space and value the space highly? by saying that price barrier is not a prerequisite for quality and safety of a space. People can value the space they're in because they were initiated into the culture, not merely because it costs $120/month.
        goodpoint 4y ago
        > It wasn't free, it was paid for by the university and it's revenue sources. There is a difference. No. Free means that the end user does not pay for it. Not that nobody pays for it.
      - thrown_22 4y ago
        >. The machine shop at my university was free. Paid for by tax payers is not free. I agree that there should be government investment in hacker spaces since they are just machine shops that aren't stuck in 1950. The name however was stupid and killed any take up by government. Maker spaces were a slightly better rebranding which at least didn't actively push sponsors away. >If boutique makerspaces work, then ask yourself why this place failed. Because at $100 a month it wasn't boutique. If you want the top end you do what universities do: charge $2k a month and give scholarships to the worth while members who can't afford that.
  - slater 4y ago
    "wokeshop"...?
    - throwntoday 4y ago
      The workshop filled with a bunch of "anarchist" flags where no one is doing anything interesting and members seem more concerned with creating an "inclusive" space than engineering. That wokeshop.
      - Animats 4y ago
        Oh, you mean Double Union in SF.[1] [1] https://doubleunion.org/membership/ https://doubleunion.org/membership/
        mindentropy 4y ago
        Is that a "wokeshop"?
        throwaway_4ever 4y ago
        "We are a space for nonbinary people and women (trans, cis, intersex, queer, straight, and not-fitting-into-those-labels). Membership is open to all women and nonbinary people, self-identified." You know, it's a little crazy that it's men being constantly accused of sexism in the tech industry when there are hard-coded rules for excluding men from places, employment opportunities, and not simply treating everyone as equals.
        mindentropy 4y ago
        Yes.That objective is totally crazy and I wonder why no one is criticizing it. Crazy stuff.
        the_biot 4y ago
        That is utterly horrifying. It's so nakedly racist and sexist, and proudly so. I comfort myself with the idea that such rabid hatred isn't sustainable in the long run. People mellow out, society mellows out and becomes ever more accepting. Fifty years from now this sort of thing will seem just as alien as, say, the McCarthy era, or indeed the alternate reality of communist states.
  - Animats 4y ago
    What's the "wokeshop"? Humanmade in SF charges US $250/month for access.
Melting_Harps 4y ago
> It's unclear what the specific issues causing them to close are but it's definitely not an issue of quality. It's pretty clear that they no longer have enough money to continue operations and were too reliant on non-revenue based sources (grants/partnerships) to keep the doors open which seems to have run dry: The reality is, our organization is unsustainable in its current form. Our revenue streams over the years have been a mix of membership, ticket sales, and office rentals, but heavily reliant on grants and partnerships. At present, without a significant investor, major partnership, or direct injection of funds, our runway is not long enough to make the changes necessary for building long-term self-reliance. It's a shame, looks like a really interesting spot for tinkerers and hackers. Let's hope they do get a chance to come back as they say it will remain in some capacity. Sacramento is a long drive from the bay area, where you'd think most of the target demographic resides, but I'm guessing the rent prices on a space make it untenable.
- groby_b 4y ago
  > but I'm guessing the rent prices on a space make it untenable. There's quite a bit of industrial space at... let's call it "not entirely unreasonable" prices in e.g. Oakland or other areas further out. As a result, there's really no shortage of makerspaces in the Bay Area. (https://makernexuswiki.com/wiki/Maker_Spaces_In_San_Francisco_area https://makernexuswiki.com/wiki/Maker_Spaces_In_San_Francisc...)
- public_defender 4y ago
  > too reliant on non-revenue based sources (grants/partnerships) to keep the doors open I looked into joining NYCResistor a while back and the membership fee was quite high (I don't remember it and I don't want to give wrong info). It was the kind of fee that would exclude a lot of people who this kind of space was meant to benefit and undercut the ethos of hacker/makerspaces generally. On the other hand, rent in downtown Brooklyn is really high. It sounds like this space was using grant funding to keep individual fees down and thereby promote accessibility. That's really cool. I am sad to see that they're closing, but this might be better for the community than multiplying membership fee rates or other "revenue" to stay open. It's a hard call and I don't envy them.

evernerdy 4y ago

dtgriscom 4y ago
Their policy probably says "everyone must wear masks"; it's irrelevant that you used to be a member. At least they didn't take your money and only then alert you to the issue.
- sergiotapia 4y ago
  That's an extremely cringe policy in 2022. At this point if you're wearing a mask you are quite a kook. I'm in Miami, I very very rarely see anyone wearing a mask except senior citizens. The way it should be because they are at higher risk of not only covid but flu etc.
  - pedalpete 4y ago
    I think we can get to the point where we're comfortable with people who want to wear masks wearing them, and people who don't want to don't. I don't but I don't think anything less of people who do. I'm probably kookier than they are in most ways. ;)
    - snoopy_telex 4y ago
      Absolutely in agreement here. We have zero clue about their life and the decisions made to get to this point where they’re deciding to wear a mask. Maybe they have auto immune issues, or maybe they just want to. It doesn’t hurt me in any way. Why should I care if they wear a mask or not? And if someone feels better if I wear one, it’s really no skin off of my back. I generally don’t wear a mask anymore, but I have zero issues with those that do. And I respect them for holding to their own in a time where people are judging them as kooks.
    - sergiotapia 4y ago
      That's the thing, people who want to wear them want to force people who don't want to wear them like in OP's message.

throwntoday 4y ago

Went there years ago for an arduino meetup. No one including the organizer knew how to program. They spent a couple hours shilling the egregiously priced membership. Total bummer, was hoping to meet smart people to learn from. Anyway good riddance.

wheresmycraisin 4y ago

I'm a Bay Area -> Sacramento transplant and this doesn't surprise me one bit. The 'tech scene' is essentially dead here.

pedalpete 4y ago
Do you mean the tech scene in Sacramento? or the valley more generally?
- wheresmycraisin 4y ago
  I can only speak for the city of Sacramento and maybe 25 miles of surrounding area including west sac, davis, roseville, elk grove, etc. If you're thinking of moving here from the bay, you're not going to find a local tech job unless you want to make much less money doing gov't related work in ancient versions of C#. There's no meetups, almost no startup support, no good schools to hire from (UC davis is the exception, but I doubt UCD CS students are looking to stay in sac area for jobs). I am speaking in hyperbole, of course, but in general if you're a techie and think Sacramento is just a cheaper Bay Area, you're in for a rude awakening.
  - dopeboy 4y ago
    As someone considering leaving the bay, how do you get your fix? Or do you just network less?
    - wheresmycraisin 4y ago
      Definitely build strong relationships before you move away. Sacramento (and more broadly the rest of california) is nice b/c it isn't too far from the 'action' and you can go back to SF for conferences/accelerator pitches/etc, but you need to network for quality over quantity. And, honestly, I'm getting older so I care less and less about the latest trends or optimizing for total compensation.
  - r0m4n0 4y ago
    The area has had ebbs and flows. There are massive Intel and HP campuses so I wouldn’t say you are not going to find tech jobs but you are right in that tech is a blip on the radar. It’s honestly awesome not having everyone you know being involved in tech. It’s actually a really diverse place, both in what people do for work, economically, and race. Also a lot of long time residents that make it feel much more real than the revolving door of the bay area

NelsonMinar 4y ago

It's a shame to see this closing. They seemed awfully ambitious building out with 4 locations at one point. I imagine Covid was very hard on this. Too far to be practical for Sacramento folks, but the Curious Forge in Grass Valley, CA is still doing well. They're a lot more scrappy and have a long history in the community. https://thecuriousforge.org/ https://thecuriousforge.org/

pkdpic 4y ago
Excellent shout out for the Curious Forge and Grass Valley in general! The community up there is a huge inspiration down here in Sacto :)

mrandish 4y ago

It's sad that they couldn't figure out how to make it economically viable as a business, especially after 10 years. IMHO, it's hard to make social entrepreneurship work when there's not a clear priority on creating customer value over social value. Especially around topics which have such high curb appeal (ie democratizing making), yet in actual practice turn into a daily grind of space rentals, equipment rentals and instruction sales. The perennial problem with relying on charitable grants to make budget is that (usually) such grants eventually dry up. Thus, they should only ever be thought of as a short-term launch boost. Fortunately, unlike ten years ago, there are now quite a few local machine shops and other vendors who will do prototyping and short-run manufacturing using CAD, 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, etc. They aren't as cheap as a grant-subsidized charity but the ones I've used are efficient and focused on getting my small jobs done right.

kennywinker 4y ago
I’m a member at a local community run (not for profit) hack space, and I have been a member at commercial (for profit) maker spaces. The community run model has a vastly better vibe - better equipment - and is a more open and hackable environment. In my experience, hack spaces, like most of the best things in life, are better when they’re not a for profit business.
sschueller 4y ago
Places like this should be publicly funded like libraries. They are for the public good and enable people to use their creativity improving public moral and sometimes enabling someone to build something great they could not have at home. We have publicly paid for workshops here for wood working in many cities and towns. You pay a tiny fee to use the equipment but the rest is paid for by the state. These places are also used to teach "shop" to kids etc. I would love to see the maker spaces get classified as such as well.
marssaxman 4y ago
Ten years is actually a pretty good run for a makerspace and I congratulate Hacker Lab for their unusual degree of success. When I founded ALTSpace, in Seattle, back in 2011, there were at least four other public makerspaces in the city, all of which have since closed. A few more have opened since then; some of them have since gone under. Makerspaces are heavily dependent on the energy and involvement of the community which sustains them. You have to be able to turn over your management every couple of years. I don't really know why you would try to run a makerspace like a business. They are fundamentally community-oriented resource and activity spaces. It's much easier to make things work in a bottom-up, volunteer-supported, community-focused non-profit style. It keeps your overhead lower and your potential membership larger. You have to think of it as more like a public library than a machine shop. The utility of a makerspace is strongly related to proximity: the less time it takes to get there, the smaller a job you can reasonably undertake there; the smaller the jobs you feel comfortable doing there, the more often you are likely to show up; the more time you spend there, the better the community works, and the more likely you are to spend time cleaning and maintaining the space. There is therefore a kind of anti-scaling economics at work. A big, well-funded, well-equipped makerspace has to draw people from a large area to support its running expenses. But if it takes you an hour to get to the makerspace, you're only going to go there when you have multiple hours of work to do. How many times a month do you have a big project needing multiple hours of work? That is a single-digit number and for most people a small one. So you have to cast a wider net to support a larger makerspace, but you also have to charge more, which reduces your potential member base. It is a tricky balance to find, and it's even trickier to find much surplus value that could be extracted as profit.

BrianHenryIE 4y ago

I am/was a member of Hacker Lab for the past ~four years. It's one of the best things about Sacramento. My only regret is that I didn't join sooner. It's basically a library for makers with a plethora of equipment I would never justify purchasing for myself, or even have the space for. A co-working space. An event space. There were weeks I spent 50+ hours there. Sacramento library does have a "library of things" and its own makerspace, both showing the library is on the same page, but Hacker Lab is/was a 24 hour space and was light years ahead of any other option in town. Makerspaces are a natural extension of libraries. I learned lots, built lots, started many projects and made many friends. I don't have many photos handy, but here's: * Adding LEDs to my mudguard in the electronics room: https://imgur.com/a/VU7mupx https://imgur.com/a/VU7mupx * Building a sidecar for my dog with the welder etc: https://imgur.com/a/BeM8MFg https://imgur.com/a/BeM8MFg [] Sacramento Public Library - Books are just the beginning https://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Public-Library-Makerspace/ https://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Public-Library-Makerspace/ https://www.saclibrary.org/Books-Media/Specialty-Checkouts/Library-of-Things https://www.saclibrary.org/Books-Media/Specialty-Checkouts/L...

pkdpic 4y ago
I agree, my only regret is not discovering them sooner. Id pay three times as much for them to stay open. Seriously...
- wrycoder 4y ago
  So do some canvassing and make an offer. Maybe they need some new board members to encourage them to cut expenses.
  - pkdpic 4y ago
    I wish I had the capital to just pick up the lease... I seriously would. Do you have any advice on canvasing though?
    - wrycoder 4y ago

cmckn 4y ago

If you’re looking for something similar in Seattle, I like ALT Space: http://www.altspaceseattle.com/ http://www.altspaceseattle.com/ I haven’t been to the new location after their landlord kicked them out earlier this year, but it’s community-run by nice people. It’s a really affordable ($20/month for occasional access) way to have access to equipment without having to own it yourself. The woodworking and sewing stuff have been handy for me. The equipment isn’t super nice or super specialized; just practical things.

pkdpic 4y ago
Hell yeah, they should seriously take over Hacker Lab. It's 100% ready to go in terms of space, equipment and local support.
- simfree 4y ago
  ALTSpace doesn't have those kinds of resources, nor does Black Lodge Research or the other community ran hackerspaces in the area. Hackerspaces generally aren't swimming in money, most don't have any employees and operate due to members donating their time to help the space survive and thrive.

O__________O 4y ago

Anyone looking to start their own maker space might contact this nonprofit maker space, since they have done a number of boot camps on staring them: https://www.maker-works.com/operations-bootcamp https://www.maker-works.com/operations-bootcamp Appears it was pricey though at $2000 per person. Here’s an old course outline: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a2b3cad8a02c7aa57ce3fb0/t/5cc7426b41fbb10001adeec8/1556562539660/CourseOutline.pdf https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a2b3cad8a02c7aa57ce3... If anyone has seen blueprints, guides, etc for starting maker spaces, I would be curious to see them.

vincnetas 4y ago
LMGTFY https://hackaday.com/2016/06/16/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-makerspace/ https://hackaday.com/2016/06/16/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-make...
- O__________O 4y ago
  Yes, that’s Google result, though issue I took with it is it’s unclear if the author has successfully run an economically viable maker space; unlike the link I provided. Author also doesn’t disclose they work for Formlabs; not a significant issue, but nothing less important to me.

cobbzilla 4y ago

Thank you Gina

mugwort13 4y ago

your_challenger 4y ago

I own the website hackerlab.in. If anyone in India is interested to start a hacker space, do DM me. Not anytime soon, but something you maybe interested to start in the long term. DM me on matrix[1] @cj:hackerlab.in or email me on cj@hackerlab.in [1] matrix is a chat protocol. Like XMPP but better. Check out matrix.org and element.io. Also checkout beeper.com

sandeep1998 4y ago
I have always wanted to be a member of one. We barely have any such places here.
- mindentropy 4y ago
  I would pay for a membership if it is somewhere closer to my house and is clean. Most of the time I see labs very disorganized and is hogged by the know it alls.
  - your_challenger 4y ago
    We could start with a CS focused meetup group. There is this meetup group by Phil Eaton[1] which I haven't joined yet. Maybe that would be a great place to start to build a India focused maker group. [1] https://www.meetup.com/hackernights/events/286560187/ https://www.meetup.com/hackernights/events/286560187/ https://github.com/eatonphil https://github.com/eatonphil
    - mindentropy 4y ago
      Hmm. I am more interested in the Maker/DIY culture. Somehow in India we have lost all of this and even if we have, it is pushed to some grungy areas of the city where it is mainly chop shops and scrap dealing. I still remember in the 1980's and 90's when I was a kid where we had a lot of repair shops especially for TV and radio/transistors. It was back when things were costly and people used to repair stuff. Now people don't have the skills to repair any more.
  - 4y ago

sliceform 4y ago

I worked in senior management for a “successful” makerspace and have intimate knowledge of how difficult they are to both run and make profitable. If they are profitable, they tend to operate on razor thin margins. It’s sad because they also tend to produce value disproportionate to their cost, providing real opportunity for people to learn hands-on skills, make products, and start businesses. I’ve seen many lives transformed by having access to tools and a community who know how to support their use. It seems most people start them because it sounds fun. And from the people I’ve talked to, for a while it is fun. The community swoops in the provide free labor and support and it all feels magical. But once this fades and the reality of the challenge sets in, it becomes less fun, less community-centric, and requires serious business chops. You are essentially running 3 businesses. Customer service, manufacturing, and education. You really need to understand the fundamentals of business to make this work. Even then it might fail. If I remember right, tech shop was well into the 8 figures in debt when they went under. Many other spaces have come and gone, too. I also just moved to Sacramento and toured the Hackerlab 1 week before this announcement. It’ll be back in some way, shape, or form, so keep an eye out for that. I’ll be talking with the community over the coming weeks and trying to sort out what the opportunity is. If anyone is considering starting a space or has questions, feel free to reach out. My contact info is in my bio.

sokoloff 4y ago
> It’s sad because they also tend to produce value disproportionate to their cost, providing real opportunity for people to learn hands-on skills, make products, and start businesses. If this thesis is true, I wonder why so many hacker/maker-spaces struggle to make ends meet. Is it that the people who are receiving this value don't see (or can't correctly estimate) the value? Or that they see it but due to circumstances can't currently pay for it?
- marcinzm 4y ago
  When people start the short term value provided is low so they will not pay a lot. When people have acquired those skills they find other places are better to utilize those skills than the hacker/maker-space so they will not pay a lot. They'll have the tools at their new job, buy the specific ones they use or join a more professional workspace that has them.

esel2k 4y ago

As a European working in large corporates and attending this company and government „innovation event“ that never result in more than show and a drink, I wonder why government wouldn’t rather finance such a hackerlab. So much passion and hands-on experience (news-letter, workshops, demon of projects) would connect and create more founders than any of those „innovation theaters“ I attend. Just wondering why governments or companies wouldn’t fund these.

dosman33 4y ago

As a co-founder of a hackerspace this makes me sad to see. I wholeheartedly agree that these spaces provide a value to their communities disproportionate to their cost to operate. However usually these situations come from a lack of time for the board/high-energy-members to participate in the needed fundraising activities. Our space is organized by 100% volunteer effort, I'm guessing there is a similar situation for Hacker Lab (or else this is a fundraising tactic itself, it's been done before by other spaces). In the beginning we had the energy to get a lot of stuff done, but that energy gets consumed by inertia and overhead of keeping a space running once it becomes "successful". Until a space becomes large enough to have a paid board of directors in some form it seems the energy of the board glides downwards over time. However without the overhead of a paid board a space can glide for years on thin margins. I'd say it's almost a catch-22. I don't agree the government should just hand out indefinite free money for these spaces to operate though because it would also kill them in due time. If a space doesn't have people with the drive to keep it running it would likely consume tax payer funds and provide less and less value over time from mis-management. I'm not suggesting grants are not a good thing though, grants have specific goals in mind and start and stop windows of operation. Hopefully they get some angel donors out of this posting to HN ;-).

tacitusarc 4y ago
This is completely accurate. I’ve been on the board of a very small makerspace for about a decade now, and our energy has slowly declined. I don’t know what the solution is.
pkdpic 4y ago
Thanks so much for the thoughtful insight, this is extremely helpful context during a very upsetting / depressing time as a hacker lab member in a city with no other comparable spaces. If you have any specific advice on ways to seek out angel investors or any general advice on things members could potentially do to help please shout it out or reach out! Thanks again :)
- dosman33 4y ago
  Fundraising is all about personal connections and networking. Makerspaces usually consist of a majority of introverts to varying degrees. Simply posting to mailing lists and chat channels that you need to raise money is not enough, you have to directly communicate with people on the phone or in person. Step 1: Assemble a squad of folks with energy to push the project forward. How this works depends on what the mood of the board is, and you'll need to work with them on this of course. If they are burned out or don't have the time, you still need to get them on board with the plan and also provide a support plan to get them unburdened. If you are serious about saving your space, start by beating down the door of all current and former members who were better connected in the Makerspace community. Connect with them to build a list of other members who care about your space and get them engaged. Use the phone, email and IM is easy to ignore. You need folks who have the energy to lead the space out of the current rut, so some fresh blood is also important. Connect with anyone involved in non-profit work in general as well. If it's just a matter of the current board being lost on how to fund-raise, then connecting them with people who know how to network within your local non-profit arena is important. Networking with other non-profits in your area is important but it's a little late to start that now. Hopefully your space already has connections, even old ones that have been lost to time that could be revived (by reconnecting with members who maintained those connections in the past). But, if you can't get a team of three or more people energized to save the space then you are very unlikely to move to step 2. Step 2: Once you have a squad, create a plan for financial success for the current year. Assemble a plan of what needs to change with your finances to pull out of this dead-end. You'll have to work with the current treasurer and crunch some numbers to know your monthly expense total. Once you know your monthly shortfall you can attack it (plus the amount to create a cushion of savings). Create a multi-pronged approach to close the gap. Raise dues, create a list of simple workshops than can launch immediately (soldering, anything, and you need instructors ready to run them), and use any other method you've used in the past to cover overhead. Does your state allow non-profits to run raffles? Raffles can be a great way to raise money, but they can take time to setup if your space doesn't already have "raffle infrastructure" in place (in our state it takes ~100 days to process the paperwork to allow non-profits to run a raffle, plus it requires a separate bank account to hold the proceeds). Again, use ANYTHING that has worked before and run it in parallel with new stuff. It's going to be a lot of work. Step 3: The big ask: a member fundraiser in parallel with the above. Identify a funding number that gets your space out of immediate danger, probably three months of overhead expenses. From your squad formed in step 1, identify your most sociable and well connected member('s) and work with them to do a fund drive from members and former members. Go WAY back and find former members who might still be fond of your space even after moving away. Beat the pavement and call these folks on the phone, preferably by people who knew them when they were still active in your community. Call current members who still pay monthly but don't show up. Mainly think of folks who are more well off, be careful to not put off members who their dues represents more of a burden than others. If you can locate a whale who is willing to make a relatively large donation, make it "if we raise $xxx so-and-so will match the donation!!". Usually these folks are happy to donate even if a matching contribution is not met, but it helps drive urgency. Step 4: Follow through. This is the hardest part, if you pull things out of the ditch this month you can't stop. You didn't put all this energy into the space this month only to let it die the next month. Maby a periodic fundraiser for the public. Writing grants takes experience, connecting with folks who have experience is good, but it can be learned. Networking with other non-profits pays a lot of dividends though. Co-hosting workshops with other non-profits is a great way to integrate (or re-integrate) into your community. This can spark interest from other people with experience who may want to help your space with leadership and fundraising experience. Addendum: The way you communicate is important. Once you have a recovery plan that works on paper announce it to the members via your usual communication channels, then start reaching out via the phone. Be positive with a path forward out of closure, marketing is important. You don't want to make people feel shame, but you do need to communicate the seriousness of the situation (which is already communicated at this point). Shame in a volunteer-oriented community just drives people away. It seems strange to say these things but one never knows what the level of communication experience one is walking into when making suggestions like these. Good luck!

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

KiDD 4y ago

I wish I was able to be a more active member of the hacker lab community. RIP

cowboynwf 4y ago

I've been a friend of Gina for a long time, and HL used to be a second home for me. This is sad and I wish Gina well in her next adventure.

ginaathackerlab 4y ago

Thank you so much everyone! So much love for our community. The work we have done has been one of the best gifts of my life. We are moving into a smaller space and pivoting but we are continuing the good fight and good work. More to come- love G @HackerLab