STAFF FOCUS: Nick Cook

Nick Cook, Concierge Manager

When you walk through the doors of Common House Chattanooga, Nick Cook is most likely the first person to greet you with a smile and point you in the right direction. He is, in his own words, "the first line of defense and the nucleus of the House." As Concierge Manager, Nick's priority is creating an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome and wanted. He makes it his job to know each and every member and guest (no small feat, considering the 1,200+ members) and to keep them abreast of our goings on. Though given his deep experience in the hospitality industry, this should come as no surprise.

"Each day, I meet someone new and connect with a member in a way that I didn't think that I would," he says, "there is this common ground that we find [at Common House] that you feel when you walk in the building — people from so many different backgrounds coming together for a lot of the same reasons."

This passion for inclusivity and thoughtfully shaping the customer experience showed itself early on: in Nick's first job at 212 Market, a fine dining restaurant in Chattanooga (sadly, now closed). "I remember sitting at lunch with my dad at Mellow Mushroom and I just got up in the middle of lunch and I was like, 'Dad, I'm gonna get a job'" He reminisces, "I found this really cute white tablecloth restaurant and they were looking for a host. It was amazing and that's when I fell in love with hospitality."

Nick's gift for entertaining not only showed itself through hospitality, but through the performing arts, particularly singing and dancing. Growing up as a pastor's kid in the church, singing was a regular part of family life. In college, he took his passion a step further by pursuing a stint in St. Louis studying musical theatre at Webster University.

Although Nick ventured on to do other things outside of hospitality, ultimately he felt a tug to return to what was his true constant and home. Before gracing our Concierge desk, Nick worked for the Dolce Group out of LA, the Dancing Bear Lodge, and most recently, The Dwell Hotel.

"[Working at The Dwell Hotel] was one of the most eye-opening experiences — being part of a place that really yearned for inclusivity...it was refreshing."

Nick joined Common House earlier this year (2021) and we're already not sure what we would do without him. Across all of our Houses, our goal is to create well-designed spaces that bring people together from various backgrounds. For Nick, fostering diversity and creating a progressive space is essential.

"Chattanooga is not a huge city, but it has a lot of pockets that can make it feel progressive and take you out of 'the south' sometimes. I feel like Common House definitely has a way of elevating the city and to be part of that is amazing."