The Next Chapter of Flexible Work Looks More Like Hospitality Than Real Estate

One of the most telling stories about The Malin co-working membership club doesn't involve square footage, lease terms, or even design. It starts with a lost luggage tag.

A longtime member at one of the brand’s New York locations mentioned — almost in passing — that she'd misplaced the tags for her Rimowa suitcase. A staff member overheard the issue, stepped out during lunch, had new leather tags made with the member's initials, and left them as a small gift. The cost was negligible. The impact wasn't. Years later, that moment still circulates among members — and so do referrals.

That anecdote captures why The Malin matters right now. In a flexible office market still defined by the collapse of its most famous operator, a different model is emerging — one built on hospitality logic rather than real estate logic.

Founded in 2021 by Irish entrepreneur Ciarán McGuigan, The Malin positions itself not as a coworking company but as "a workspace fo