When we last checked in with the Winklevii, the exceedingly Aryan twins were peddling pistachios. Now, apparently bored with nut sales, they’re back in the tech game, reportedly looking for the “next Facebook.” Because really, what could be a better way to stick it to Zuckerberg than to be the Facebook to his Myspace, or something?
As a start, the two opened an office in New York that sounds like it has some serious Entertainment 720 potential, according to a New York Times profile of them that ran over the weekend.
In January, the twins opened their own family office, an airy 5,000-square-foot loft in the Flatiron district, the ancestral home turf of Silicon Alley. The space — with hardwood floors, Eames-style chairs and lots of frosted glass — is something of a social experiment, mixing feminine charm (from the Hukkster crew, which sits at the back surrounded by bags of swag) and man-nerd chic (from the SumZero guys, who occupy the desks decorated with JavaScript manuals and remote-controlled toys). There is a futuristic hangout space outfitted with potato-chip bar stools and a 75-inch television (almost as wide as the twins are tall), and a small room toward the rear that might be outfitted with nap bunks for “wired in” programmers with no time to go home.
It’s a slightly old-school idea — throwing everyone in the same room — which Tyler described in idealistic terms.
“We recognize in New York there’s difficulty in bridging that gap between working in Starbucks or your living room and actually have the money to get their own space,” he said, adding that “we want to be company builders. We don’t want to just be cutting checks and saying, ‘See ya.’ ”
Up front, there’s a white cubicle set aside for a planned D.J. booth. All of which, the twins say, is part of an ethos to make their business a pleasure. “We want this to be a place people want to come to work,” Tyler said.
A white cubicle set aside for a DJ booth? Jean Ralphio and Tom Haverford approve!
And yes, in case you were wondering, the Winklevoss twins are still totally creepy. How creepy? This creepy…
As you sit across from Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, it is easy to lose track of whom exactly you’re talking to. Tall, blue-eyed and each built as broad-shouldered as a fridge, the twins are identical right down to their entrees: a pair of lobster rolls, with potato chips. Each has an espresso; neither eats the biscotti it comes with.
That’s so creepy!
