Washington Prime Group Inc. (fka WPGGQ)

[Enterprising Investor]

Washington Prime Group partners with COhatch to bring coworking spaces to Polaris Fashion Place (7/10/18)

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washington Prime Group Inc. (NYSE:WPG) today announced that the Company has partnered with COhatch to deliver shared work, event and lifestyle space to Polaris Fashion Place, Central Ohio's premier retail destination. This reflects Washington Prime Group's objectives to diversify tenancy, activate common areas and satisfy its demographic constituencies' demand for differentiated services, while reinventing its retail venues as community-focused, mixed use spaces.

Lou Conforti, CEO and Director, stated: "Plain and simple, our assets serve as town centers and COhatch emphasizes this gathering place approach via a combined coworking, lifestyle and entrepreneur incubation venue which allows for various social events and activities whether day or evening."

COhatch will co-create and co-develop space at Polaris Fashion Place, starting with the takeover and restoration of "The Pub", located at the outdoor, lifestyle area of the center. By day, COhatch "The Pub" will serve as a coworking and event space, and by night, "The Pub" will serve as a craft beer bar and entertainment venue featuring local microbrewers.

As part of its agreement with Washington Prime Group, COhatch will subsequently expand and integrate its concept further within Polaris Fashion Place with a variety of shared-space services, including coworking and The Madery Makers and Market. The Madery Makers and Market at Polaris Fashion Place will offer social enterprises - local businesses with a non-profit mission - a bricks-and-mortar presence in an experiential retail setting. Guests will be able to see goods produced and buy artisan gifts such as candles, handbags, jewelry and accessories, while supporting people and communities in need.

COhatch Founder Matt Davis said: "Polaris Fashion Place offers us an A+ lifestyle center to help our members grow their businesses, maximize their creativity in meetings and help them live their best life, while giving back to the community. Our vision is to provide the spaces, locations, tools, and activities to create an ideal lifestyle for our members enabling us to build our amenities for members in the perfect fifth location."

About COhatch

COhatch, a new kind of shared work, social, and family space built on community, offers members the services, activities, and amenities to live a fully integrated life that balances work, family, well-being, community and giving back. Founded in 2016, COhatch was created through the collaboration of a group of friends who wanted to live out their ideal lives and improve their community. COhatch currently has two locations in Worthington, Ohio and two under development in Delaware and Upper Arlington, Ohio with additional sites planned in the Midwest. COhatch plans to open more than a dozen total locations within the next five years. Visit www.cohatch.com for more information.

About Polaris Fashion Place

Polaris Fashion Place® is Central Ohio's premier shopping destination offering market-exclusive brands and locally-owned specialty shops to more than two million locals and tourists alike. Polaris Fashion Place also hosts more than 75 events a year including: Live@Polaris, KidX Club®, Mommy Mile, Made Local Marketplace, the Easter Bunny and Santa Photo Set. The town center is home to more than 190 national and local retail, dining and entertainment options. At Polaris Fashion Place, guests can find Tangible™ Collective, which features the best up-and-coming online brands, hand-picked and ready to be discovered and shared. A dynamic offering of things to do along with things to buy keeps guests engaged and returning often. Polaris Fashion Place and KidX Club are registered trademarks of Washington Prime Group Inc. Trademark and patent registrations for Tangible are currently pending. For more information, visit www.polarisfashionplace.com.

About Washington Prime Group

Washington Prime Group Inc. is a retail REIT and a recognized leader in the ownership, management, acquisition and development of retail properties. The Company combines a national real estate portfolio with an investment grade balance sheet, leveraging its expertise across the entire shopping center sector to increase cash flow through rigorous management of assets and provide new opportunities to retailers looking for growth throughout the U.S. Washington Prime Group® is a registered trademark of the Company. Learn more at www.washingtonprime.com.

https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/washington-prime-group-partners-with-cohatch-to-bringcoworking-spaces-to-polaris-fashion-place-20180710-01219