Opening the Finesse Center

HOW WE GOT HERE

On June 9th, 2016, Tyrell A. Thompson was shot and killed in an attempted robbery in the Central West End. At 28, he still had a ton of living to do. 

Tyrell, also well known as “Rell Finesse,” dedicated his entire life to art and the art community. He spent every working hour and beyond perfecting his craft. For most of his life, he was the epitome of a dedicated, starving artist. Tyrell started as a student at the Art Institute of Santa Monica and later transferred to Webster University where he continued his education for 4 years.  

In the last year of his life, Tyrell was employed as a graphic designer at LockerDome and spent every free minute creating paintings, graphics, and drawings in his downtown loft. He was well known for his "Power Ranger" saga and was beginning his new "Dragon Ball Z" series at the time of his death. Tyrell’s loft was more than just his home but a creative hub for him and his friends. His famous “Wall,” which displayed all of his artwork, is the backdrop of countless memories and photos. A lot of people not only lost a great friend when he passed, but also found themselves without a space to gather, fellowship, and create.


Kayla Thompson, Tyrell’s sister, founded the Finesse Center as a way to immortalize Tyrell’s life work as well as create a space that fosters creativity for artists and creatives just as his loft did. 

The Finesse Center, named in honor of the late Tyrell A. Thompson, is a co-working space designed to be a collaboration community and resource for creatives located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

Among the biggest challenges for a creative freelance professional is finding an inspiring place to work, meet professionally with clients, as well as network and access resources. The Finesse Center is the answer to community's needs by providing a creative space to work and play.

Creative professionals, who work from home, and across multiple industries and professions, need a place to work creatively and collaborate with like-minded individuals. Typical alternatives include coffee shops, libraries, and at home offices. The concept of coworking is quickly catching on in major cities in the United States and Europe. Coworking is attracting many individuals from a range of professions looking to take advantage of shared workspaces. 

The Finesse Center is more than just an empty desk or lounge area. Finesse Center offers an open workspace as well as meeting areas that are well designed, trendy, comfortable, and inspiring. It will be equipped with amenities such as wifi, desktop computers, printers, digital cameras, backdrops, easels, canvasses, and more all available for its dedicated members. In addition to providing a place to work, The Finesse Center is a place for creatives to network and mingle. Members have access to seminars, workshops, and discounts to weekly events. It is also a venue for artistic events, professional seminars, and workshops for the local community.

OUR MISSION  
Art and culture are the portals for artistic knowledge and discovery. The Finesse Center is a place for people across all of the arts to come together to learn, connect, and share. Our mission is to create an environment in which creatives can thrive in St. Louis. As an establishment of support and resources, the Finesse Center exists to help foster your passions and lifelong dreams - a place for creatives to make a way.

LOCATION



We have already secured a starting location! The Finesse Center will be located in the heart of downtown St. Louis at 1204 Washington Ave. St. Louis on the 4th floor. We have approx. 7,000 square feet of space to help shape the minds and careers of local creatives and artists.

PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND AMENITIES
Finesse Center will provide coworking space, private working space, meeting space, as well as access to multi-functional studio spaces. Other products and services include event space rental, classes/workshops and a juice and snack bar.  

Coworking: Members of our coworking space will get more than just desk space. They will benefit from an engaging environment, shared skills and resources, increased motivation, an expanded network of professional contacts, and sense of community. They will also receive priority access to our classes, workshops, and social events. Classes & 

Workshops: Our talented team will offer a variety of classes and workshops on creative thinking, presentation skills, creative writing, poetry slams, artist development, and much more.  

Consulting Services: For businesses or individuals that want more hands-on assistance, we will provide consulting services and employee training. Services might include: brainstorming facilitation, branding, innovative marketing, and workflow analysis.  

A membership at the Finesse center includes: 24-Hour Member Access, High-speed WiFi, Cafe and Kitchenette, TV Lounge Area , Photo/Video Studio, Mac & PC Stations, + more

WHERE THE FUNDS WILL GO
The funds raised in this campaign will be used for furnishing the space. Funds raised will enable us to create a space that’s not just functional and beautiful, but one that is a vibrant center for creative business in St. Louis.  

This campaign will help us build a creative tool lending library for rental and onsite usage. A reference library of books, audio and video equipment for production and post-production, computer hardware and software, and art and design tools and supplies will help outfit the Center with shared, creative resources for making a way.

#LongLiveRellFinesse