A Community Supported Pub?
As chronicled on this blog, Terry and I wanted to create a cozy little old-fashioned pub and micro-brewery in downtown Antigonish; a place where people can gather to chat, be entertained, and enjoy the wide variety of great beers, wines, and food being produced in the Maritimes today. I came across a New York Times article several years ago describing an innovative community based funding model. To help a restaurant in small-town Vermont get started, enthusiastic customers pre-paid for food to be enjoyed there in the future. A great conversation with the manager of one such restaurant, Claire’s in Hardwick, VT, inspired us to launch our own version. We’re calling it the SUDS Club. We have over 50 members (ranging from individuals to couples to groups of friends or colleagues) who have contributed and helped a new community-based business start-up with a small loan that will be paid back in-kind – our members are the co-creators of Nova Scotia’s first Community Supported Restaurant, and Antigonish’s first brewpub!
*NB: The Port Pub in Port William, NS, is arguably the 1st Community Supported Pub, although it doesn’t use the Community Supported Restaurant model we’re referring to here. It was started through the creation of a CEDIF, or Community Economic Development Investment Fund. For more info on CEDIFs and The Port, please see our earlier post about start-up models.
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