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A letter from Molly

I went to The Assembly yesterday. I stood in my favorite spot, leaning up against the coffee bar, and thought about all of you. I thought about my daily conversations with the team and community. The simple hellos and smiles. The life updates by the water station. I thought about what it felt like to be there and see the space brimming with activity and energy. I stood in the studio and could feel your presence. When we were there together, it made me feel alive. It was alive. For those two and a half years, no two days were the same. Watching you all move, work, connect, laugh, cry, share many beverages, learn, and give yourselves a place to breathe was magic. 

I wish that I was coming to you with better news, with any news other than this. For the past three years but never more than the past five months, I have been fighting for this business. It has been worth fighting for. I would do it again in a heartbeat. But with every passing week of this period — even amidst bright spots and moments of hope — it has been more and more clear that The Assembly that existed at the start of 2020 will not be able to exist at the end. 

We will not be reopening The Assembly space. Friday, August 14th, 2020 was our final day of The Assembly Anywhere classes and events. 

Businesses like ours that thrive on community gathering with large crowds indoors are not going to be able to function at full capacity for the next year. We have been negotiating with the landlord since we closed the space and have been unable to come to an agreement that leaves us in a financially viable situation. 

The impact of COVID-19 is more than we have been able to handle and we are simply not in a place to sustain this closure and the next phase. The first few months of 2020 were our strongest yet and while we were ready for new challenges, we never could have expected this. Without events, partnerships, new members, and full class schedules we have lost almost all of our monthly revenue. The Assembly was ambitious and bold. And, my friends, it is the end of a chapter. 

I am heartbroken. I am also full of so much gratitude for every minute of it. It has been incredible. This is the end of something, but it is not the end of The Assembly community and all that we have done together. I think of the web we have created. It is so strong. The friendships, connections, new projects, businesses, practices will stay with us no matter whether we have four walls around us. We have so much more to give the world together. The world needs it, and we need community. I know that to be so, so true.

Most of all, I wish that I could reflect back to you all that you have done and accomplished together. I am in awe of you.

An end, but not the end. It was all so beautiful. Thank you.

All of our lives and worlds are changing. I hope you are finding space and peace and strength to grow into what the world can and will look like next. I am so grateful to everyone who contributed — the team, the teachers, the artists. I am so grateful for your support as members through this. I will never have enough words for it. 

You all brought so much joy. You bring me so much hope. There are so many small businesses going through this so continue to spread that love and support! 

Molly Goodson

Co-Founder & CEO

 
 
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