{"id":253222,"date":"2024-08-10T21:58:37","date_gmt":"2024-08-10T21:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/10\/see-what-googles-original-office-looked-like-in-1998\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:12:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:12:35","slug":"see-what-googles-original-office-looked-like-in-1998","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/10\/see-what-googles-original-office-looked-like-in-1998\/","title":{"rendered":"See what Google’s original office looked like in 1998"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The death of former YouTube<\/a> CEO Susan Wojcicki<\/a> on Friday highlighted her key role in one of Silicon Valley\u2019s most legendary origin stories.<\/p>\n

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When Larry Page and Sergey Brin started Google<\/a> in 1998, they rented out Wojcicki\u2019s Palo Alto garage to use as a \u201cworldwide headquarters.\u201d<\/p>\n

During a 2014 commencement speech at Johns Hopkins University<\/a>, she described the circumstances that led to the fateful decision. She said she was newly married and just bought the house, but could barely afford the mortgage. A mutual friend connected her with Page and Brin, who were still Stanford graduate students at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey seemed nice,\u201d Wojcicki said. \u201cTheir idea sounded kind of crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Google<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

While the name of their new company struck her as odd and she wasn\u2019t sure what it meant, none of that mattered at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as you guys pay your rent on time, you guys can build your Googly thing here,\u201d she recalled telling them.<\/p>\n

Eventually, she joined them in late-night sessions of eating pizza and M&Ms, she added, with the Google cofounders talking about how their technology could change the world\u2014and how excited they were that the garage had a washer and dryer.<\/p>\n

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Google<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In 2018, to mark the 20th anniversary of Google\u2019s founding, the company used archival footage to recreate what the garage looked like back in 1998<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Street View team then posted images of each room, allowing viewers to virtually explore the startup\u2019s original office space in all its cluttered glory.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Google<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

According to Google, the company expanded its workspaces into the three small bedrooms on the ground floor as the staff grew to six people. <\/p>\n

The office also featured a piano keyboard for music breaks and a requisite ping pong table, though images show it was folded up and stashed in a corner.<\/p>\n

In a 2018 video accompanying the recreated office, Wojcicki said, \u201cWow, it\u2019s amazing to see it looks the same. It\u2019s like going back in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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YouTube<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Google also posted an original grainy video of the garage that was shot by the company\u2019s sixth employee, engineer Harry Cheung, who has since moved on to become an angel investor.<\/p>\n

After touring the rooms with his camera, he spotted Page hard at work in front of a computer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

YouTube<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More about Susan Wojcicki:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
Recommended Newsletter:<\/strong> The Fortune Next to Lead newsletter is a must-read for the next generation of C-suite leaders. Every Monday, the newsletter provides the strategies, resources, and expert insight needed to claim the most coveted positions in business. Subscribe now<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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