Tucked into the quiet, just across from the new Randall’s grocery, is Bob Rainey Farms—a new multi-use property that will soon have something to offer just about everyone in town.
Owner Mike Rainey already operates a CrossFit gym and offers co-op working space for independent business, but he has plans for much more.
Rainey grew up on farmland in North Carolina and came to Texas via the Army. Although this West Point graduate has a passion for technical contracting, he also loves teaching and coaching. When the CrossFit program he created outgrew his garage, so did his vision for creating a professional space for himself and others to come together to help each other by sharing resources.
He and his wife purchased four acres off Williams Drive, covered with trees and a lush green view. He has completed construction on two buildings so far and, weather permitting, he will have mixed use office space and an official ribbon cut by mid-Spring. The current building has offices, wi-fi, a conference room, kitchen and restrooms. “Plenty of people like me telecommute and sometimes need a step up from Starbucks; a quiet space dedicated to working, with a conference table or a couch for a presentation. I knew I needed a space like this and we wanted it to have the rustic and comfortable feel of Texas, too.”
Rainey Farms’ brand, designed by Elizabeth Burnham, is corrugated metal and rustic wood and is another homage to Rainey’s family, but it blends intentionally with the feel of Georgetown because their purpose is to provide a service to the community. “We want to keep the small feel of Georgetown but give people the ability to do things beyond, perhaps an art show, a contract negotiation or a farmer market.”
Future plans include an event center and permanent office space. He also wants it to be a place where families can come and enjoy their time together. “We want to be the space for play, food trucks, weddings or a Super Bowl party, that is close in but not next to a road. We really just wanted to build a ‘happy place’ and the leasing and memberships will keep the lights on. It’s really about having a relationship with people and doing business with friends. I love the harmony of it.”
Rainey says he was inspired by his post-grad time as a teacher at West Point. “Our bookshelves were always shoulder-height so we could see each other and it fostered great collaboration. I found when I was in a room with others I could do more than if I was by myself. I also put a common table in our building here to keep the interaction going.”
Rainey also credits his wife, who is a solid partner in business as much as she was his rock when he was away from home. “I couldn’t do it without Lisa. I could have walked off a lot of cliffs without her bringing me back but I never felt the pull of worry when deployed and have a great partnership.”
Rainey’s co-op, 6517 N Lakewoods Dr, will be limited to 20 members per month to start and he is confident that they won’t be full every day, so the offices will always be comfortable, amenity-rich and spacious enough to keep all his clients happy. Construction is continuing and they plan to keep the community up to date on social media (Facebook/BobRaineyFarms).
