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Etsy, the e-commerce company that Bloomberg reports could IPO this quarter, has been happily based in Brooklyn, New York, since it launched in 2005.
Business Insider visited the company’s gorgeous DUMBO headquarters in September (DUMBO stands for Down Under The Manhattan Bridge Overpass), but Etsy is in the midst of designing a new space, also in DUMBO, that will be able to accommodate more than 300 new local employees (there are currently more than 350 in New York).
Amanda Carroll, who works with technology companies for the architecture, design, and consulting firm Gensler, told Business Insider she’s loved working with Etsy on its new space because, more than nearly any company she’s worked with, the team is committed to making its office reflect its values.
Etsy is all about helping small business owners, artists, and craftmakers sell their (often-homemade) goods. That over-arching goal is reflected in its location choice: the creative atmosphere in DUMBO is inspiring, and CEO Chad Dickerson has said the independent, innovative businesses flourishing in Brooklyn influence the company.
Carroll says Etsy is focusing on supporting the local economy as much as possible as it works on its new office.
“Etsy is making decisions that aren’t just based on costs,†she says. “Nothing that they put into their space goes with out thought. They’re using their new office to really put their stake down in DUMBO and really solidify their commitment to that community.â€
Furniture is locally sourced, recycled materials are chosen over new ones, and the company is trying to reduce the carbon footprint of its transition as much as possible.
Etsy has been a Certified B Corporation since 2012, which means it gets held to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, and its new office will also be LEED-certified.
Although most people think of major tech companies as having their roots in Silicon Valley, Dickerson has said New York is actually a more attractive place for people to work because it’s a thriving, vibrant city, and can fulfil the desire for an urban atmosphere unlike suburbs like Cupertino, California (where Apple is based).
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