Today, Brian, Charles, Dan, Jenn, Jenny, Jonathan, Kevin, Matt, Rich, Ron, and Tom moved Bucketworks into its new space in only 3 hours. It took only 26 minutes to unload!

After 4 months of being a virtual community, we have a place again. But we're not open for business yet!

Now that all our stuff is inside, we have to set up, store, and organize. Our goal is to keep the space clear and simple to use. That said, we still need a new fridge for the kitchen and some outdoor furniture for our *private rooftop deck* in Spring!

On Monday, our first group of members is joining us. We opened up a dozen co-working spots and they are almost all sold. These intrepid first members are joining Bucketworks in a time of changes--over the course of February and March Bucketworks will be updated, set up, and automated. This is why we are keeping the initial population small.

At the top of the list of our planned changes is automating door security, upgrading the meetup space and bathrooms, and cosmetic fixes.

Regular tours will start up again later in February. Or, stop down for MKEPHP (every 2nd and 4th Tuesday) or Web414 (every 2nd Thursday) to see our progress. I can't wait to show you some of the features of our new space and new neighborhood--and you can park in the garage for your tour!

On Saturday, January 30th at 11:00am we'll be moving into our new space located at 706 S 5th St, across from La Fuente.

We'll begin the move at our storage space at the Holton Youth Center at 510 E Burleigh in Riverwest. There's only a truckful, and only a few heavy items, but the more hands we have the faster it goes!

After we've completed the move (with your help!) we'll be lunching/snacking at La Fuente to CELEBRATE!

You can register to help out HERE

See you there!

2009 has been an amazing year, with the kinds of ups and downs that teach us what we're made of, and make us more than we started. Bucketworks was destroyed for the second time by a flood, but we didn't go away--we just spread out a little.

Since July of 2009, we've hosted a StartupAccelerator event, BarCampMilwaukee4, and sundry other activities. I even got to be in a play--Under Milk Wood, by Dylan Thomas. We launched the Bucket Brigade, a community of experts who make organizations healthier. Two groups toured our non-space from out of state, and we're helping to launch Jigsaw Renaissance which is a makerspace in Seattle.

In 2010, you'll see us relaunch Bucketworks in a new neighborhood, with a new feel, in a new space with renewed focus.

Keep an eye out for more updates--follow us on twitter @bucketworks, join our Facebook page, and have a great New Year!

We done had a BarCamp! (As Gabe likes to say...) And by that we mean, BarCampMilwaukee4 happened, and it was good. And by good we mean that people had fun, learned new things, and no one got hurt. Well, ok, almost no one got hurt.

There's a bunch of photos in the BarCampMilwaukee pool on Flickr, and I've still got a lot of media to process from the event, and more words to share.

I just wanted to give a little shout out to Bucketworks, who secure the venue for us, acted as the fiscal sponsor, and did a lot of legwork, and grunt work, and other work to make it all happen. Thanks guys!

So here's a little contest for the entrepreneurial-minded people in Milwaukee's technology community. There are two great events coming up this weekend and next - StartupAccelerator is an event for those with an idea, vision, or mission to create connections between like-minded folks and resource-providers. BarCampMilwaukee4 is a technology-focused "unconference" where attendees share knowledge around their passions for everything from programming, to robots, to immersive 3D environments.

So here's the challenge:

1. Attend StartupAccelerator, figure out all the business aspects of things, and get your entrepreneurial venture started.

2. Attend BarCampMilwaukee4 and connect with a community of peers, consultants, contractors, potential employees, and even more like-minded folks to share what you know, and learn what you don't.

The winner will be awarded a 3 month "Core" membership to the new Bucketworks when we've re-opened, which (we hope) will serve as another great resource on the path to a successful startup.

Criteria:

1. Begin proceedings for formally forming a company (i.e. Mission Statement, Articles of Incorporation, LLC or other corporation registration with the state of Wisconsin, etc)

2. Host a session on your idea, make connections to BarCampers

Judges: James Carlson, Pete Prodoehl, Oleg Tumarkin

We weren't sure how we were going to do it... more specifically where we were going to do it. With Bucketworks's 1340 N 6th St doors closed and no new lease signed yet we were worried it wasn't going to happen at all.

But BarcampMilwaukee4 is back in the saddle. Thanks to Mike Doro and The Chase Commerce Center.

The Chase Commerce Center, located at 3073 S. Chase St. on Milwaukee's near south side, is one of the top contenders for the new Bucketworks location (in close competition with another of Mike's properties, The Louis Allis building, which happens to be my personal favorite). Mike has generously given Barcamp a home and we couldn't be happier.

The BarcampMilwaukee site is live, this time thanks to Bucketworks member Jeramey Jannene. It's a beautiful wordpress site - so take a few minutes to peruse the site and REGISTER today!

As always, Bucketworks is proud to support BarcampMilwaukee. So show some love - attend, present, evangelize.

We'd also like to give a special shout out to Pete Prodoehl (a trooper as always), Gabe Wollenburg, and Ashe Dryden - who have worked tirelessly in a short amount of time to get this great Katamari Damacy ball rolling! Thanks, guys!

Here's something you might want to follow:

http://www.instructables.com/community/MakerHacker-Space-Tour-2009-The-Two-Hands-Proje/
http://www.twohandsproject.com/
Twitter @twohandsproject
The idea is to use a special unlimited-ride ticket on Jetblue to visit Hackerspaces all over the US during September. His website mentions that he's trying to start a hackerspace in Ann Arbor.

On Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 the Bucketworks staff and a crew of volunteers moved Bucketworks (a deep heart-felt thanks to Ron Bean, Mark Huber, Brad and Scott Willett, Oleg Tumarkin, Said Kassem, Peter Mortenson, Brennan Stehling, Kevin Ciesielski, and Jonathan Yankovich) from 1340 N 6th St into a temporary storage location generously provided by Mario Constantini and the Holton Youth Center. After we regain the use of our arms and legs we will use the months of August and September to search for a new home for Bucketworks.

Stay tuned to the site where we will post updates about spaces we tour and opportunities for you to accompany us on these tours.

We've worked hard in this space. We've played hard in this space. We've done some incredible things. From plays, fashion shows, gallery shows, meetups, unconferences, and much much more we've managed to DIY ourselves up a lot amazing events despite incredible structural odds.

We put the place back together again like it was Humpty Dumpty.

You all helped make it happen.

But now it's come time to say goodbye to 1340 N 6th St, and all the amazing memories she holds.

On July 31st from 10:00am - 8:00pm the Bucketworks crew will be working hard to toss, pack, and prepare the space for moving on Saturday, August 1st from 10:00am - 6:00pm. We could use your help again. If you can join us even for an hour or two hours we'd be grateful.

Volunteers will be able to take home the random strange and wonderful item of their choice. As will the community as we hold a freecycle event on Friday night from 4:00 - 7:00pm.

And here we go, into empty.