Debbie Spangler had a novel idea to cut her business costs.

Five businesses under one roof -- it was thrifty enough to work.

The owner of Edible Artistry rents space to four tenants at her wedding cake business. In return, she gets assistance with her building fees and benefits from a tight-knit community.

The 2,400-square-foot facility on Baston Road was bigger than she needed. Tenants pay a flat-rate rental fee, including all utilities and Internet service.

"They know their rent amount and that's all they pay. Starting a new business is a lot easier when you know your costs," Ms. Spangler said.

Last week, the owners of David Russell Photography and Cordially Invited, a certified wedding and event planning business, moved into renovated office space.

"I definitely could not afford a space of my own. I would have had to increase my prices," said David Russell, the photography business owner.

Mr. Russell had been working out of his home for four years. He didn't hesitate to say yes when Ms. Spangler asked him to come on board.

Salads on Wheels, a lunchtime caterer, and Sweet Creations, which specializes in birthday cakes, rent kitchen space at Edible Artistry.

Ms. Spangler learned the sharing concept when she was starting her business 31/2 years ago. She was outgrowing her kitchen at home but couldn't afford a space of her own.

She received her break when Cindy Crawford at Cindy's Catering allowed her to rent kitchen space.

Ms. Spangler wants to give other start-up businesses an affordable alternative. Her tenants can set their own hours and come and go as they wish.

"It's their place to use. I want to give them the opportunity to run the business the way they need to run their business," she said.

Connie DeLoach and Glenda Atkins co-own Cordially Yours. They decided to go into business after working as independent wedding planners for more than 20 years. It would have taken them longer to go into business if they had to rent a building of their own, Ms. DeLoach said.

Ms. Spangler said she searched for tenants who were involved in the wedding industry. Although it's convenient, the businesses aren't obligated to refer clients to each other, she said. They can recommend other vendors if it's better for their clients.

The concept also allows new business owners to learn from people with more experience. Some things can be learned only from experience, such as obtaining licensing or liability insurance and purchasing a credit card machine, Ms. Spangler explained.

Mr. Russell believes "other businesses in the same industry should help each other."

"I'm thankful to have a location so clients can gain confidence in me. Just to have a business location, it's been great," he said.