The Virtual Office Is Here. Read about it here, or visit Kristi's Corner

When you ask your sons and daughters to move back to Kalamazoo to open up their own business, there’s one thing they may not have to worry about: office rent.

From the look of coffee shops, libraries and hotel lobbies, we’ve either got a new, upscale crowd of loiterers, or the virtual office is taking hold.

“That’s the most popular seat in the hotel,” says a manager at the Radisson, pointing to a seat where a young woman works with her computer and a cell phone. Outside of Rio, four other business people have their computers set up. The days of working in cubicles appears to be history for consultants, salespeople and executives on the move.

Interviews with businesspeople in Kalamazoo confirm that even the telephone isn’t what it used to be. “I don’t call anyone any more to set up a meeting. I set it up by email and we gather in a public place,” said a Kalamazoo architect at Water Street Joint. “When we get to the meeting, we’re surrounded by people with laptops and by people who are doing what we’re doing -- making good on a meeting scheduled electronically.”

Meanwhile, reports of telecommuniting continue to flourish. Last week, a young couple closed on property near Three Rivers, as they prepare to move from the state of Washington. “We wanted open land, like the prices in Michigan, we’re close to our family, and we can continue to do our work with our Washington employers,” said the former Plainwell resident who initiated the move.