Our Daily Show Interview! The Wedge Celebrates 1 Year!
ALTON – The Wedge will mark its first anniversary in Alton, and they have a few events and deals prepared to celebrate.
Throughout the month of April, there are several deals available for those who wish to utilize the building’s coworking and office spaces. On April 24, 2026, community members can also join a rooftop celebration with live music, networking opportunities and more. CEO Scot Heathman and Community Manager Stephanie Schrage can’t wait to bring the community together and share everything The Wedge has to offer.
“It’s been an amazing first year,” Heathman said. “There will be cake and there will be music and things like that. But what could we do to give back? Birthdays are great. It’s a time to celebrate ourselves. But I think for this, we want to celebrate outwardly the community and see if we can do some fun events.”
In April, community members can pay $1 for a coworking day pass, which gives them access to all of The Wedge’s amenities and coworking space for a day. Proceeds will go to the Greater Alton Community Development Corporation and the Overnight Warming Locations.
New members can also receive $100 off the first three months of private office rent when signing a 12-month agreement. Heathman and Schrage noted that their goal is to give back to the community while promoting The Wedge’s offerings.
They added that this first year has been full of positives. They regularly host events for community members to learn more about specific topics, including SIUE Community Collaboration Labs and leadership development workshops. Through these events, they’ve welcomed people from across the community.
They also have their regular coworking members and office renters, who often come together for events and networking opportunities. Heathman and Schrage noted that the rent and coworking fees are extremely affordable, especially with the free leadership development workshops and more. They hope more people consider joining their space, as they believe it’s truly beneficial for members.
“It’s a real-life LinkedIn,” Schrage said. “That’s what we’ve seen.”
Heathman added that their team faced some pressure in the beginning. Coworking spaces are less common in suburban and rural areas, so The Wedge team had to educate people about how the space can be used and how it can benefit the community.
However, he believes the stress is mostly about the team’s devotion to the community. They want The Wedge to be a space where everyone can come and benefit, and they’re committed to furthering this mission.
“If you look at us, we’re ducks with our feet scrambling beneath the waterline,” Heathman joked. “But I think it really comes from a source of, we care. We definitely care about this, not only the business part, but how this interacts with the community, what kind of impact this can have on the community and the region. We are starting to see some of the fruits of all the labor we’ve been putting in.”
As The Wedge and its offerings continue to grow, Heathman and Schrage hope to welcome more members and visitors to see everything they have to offer. They encourage people to take advantage of their April deals, and they are looking forward to the April 24th rooftop celebration.
“We’ve engaged with probably 200 organizations at this point. We’ve had probably 500 people in and out of this building in a year. And that’s with our team of three,” Schrage added. “I can’t imagine how much bigger we can make this, and I look forward to the next few years for sure.”
For more information about The Wedge, including their upcoming events, visit The Wedge Innovation Center’s official website.
