Last week I wrote a story about two local breweries using Kickstarter to help fund their new businesses. In that story I mentioned Fort Burns Brewing Company in passing but did not provide any details except to say that they were based in the Tri-Cities. Now, I have some more inforation to share with you.
The company hopes to open a brewpub near the Pasco airport. One uncommon aspect of the business plan involves pop-up restaurants. Apparently, instead of operating its own kitchen, Fort Burns Brewing plans to provide chefs with a stage on which to showcase their culinary works. Pop-up restaurants are all the rage these days. Though the concept is not exactly a new one, this is the first time I’ve heard of it applied to a brewpub.
According to Wikipedia: “Pop up restaurants, like food trucks, are an effective way for young professionals to gain exposure of their skills in the field of hospitality as they seek investors and attention pursuant to opening a restaurant or another culinary concept. Pop-up restaurants have been hailed as useful for younger chefs, allowing them to utilize underused kitchen facilities without the risk of bankruptcy.” Other pop-up restaurants are more akin to supper clubs, allowing established chefs to experiment and create an exclusive, unique dining experience outside the wall of their existing restaurants.
But this is a story about a brewery. Here is a press release from Fort Burns Brewing.
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BREWERS OF AMAZING BEER USE NEW TECHNIQUE FOR FUNDING
For Immediate Release
sponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorFort Burns Brewery turns to an alternative source of funding to help start their innovative, new brewery. With just 30 days to fund, the process is testing the online fundraising model and their sanity.
(November 27,2012)- Fort Burns Brewery (FBB) is known as an innovative company and they’re using a different approach for their funding, turning to the Internet to help raise money for their start up costs. As anyone knows, funding is the first major obstacle to get any business going and this brutal economy doesn’t make their task any easier. Entrepreneurs are forced to become more creative in their fundraising tactics and this has lead to a boom in sites like Kickstarter.com
sponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorsponsorAs FBB is changing the brewery scene, Kickstarter has changed funding for these businesses. Kickstarter.com uses the power of the crowd to fund a range of projects. In line with their guidelines, users have a set number of days to raise all the funds, or the project receives nothing. The Fort Burns campaign has a 30-day fundraising window, from start to finish. If the allotted $35,000 US budget isn’t raised before December 19, all pledges are cancelled and the brewery will not be funded. Why did the new brewery decide to use this method of funding? Co-Founder Robby Burns noted, “To be able to spread the word about what our company is doing, quickly, and online; to a lot of people and to keep control of our future without selling out.” An added advantage for the users is Kickstarter’s merchant partner Amazon.com, which enables each project the convenience of receiving funds from anywhere in the world.
FBB plans on opening a brew pub by the Pasco Airport in their home state of Washington. The brewery will have their delicious IPA, Pale Ale and Kolsh on tap year round. Five other taps will have new and exciting beers available. Plus, there will be one tap dedicated to local home brewers. Their brews will also be available in bottles and kegs in various bars, restaurants and stores. “We are tired of all the bland chain restaurants that are in the Tri-Cities. We want to help change that. Our kitchen will be a pop-up restaurant, available for any qualified chef or caterer to use” said Robby Burns. A pop-up restaurant is one of the newest trends in the dining industry. They’re temporary restaurants that are a great way for new chefs to get their name out or established chefs to try new recipes without the high risk that comes with a full-fledged restaurant.
A passion for their community is best explained by the other Co-Founder, Kevin Fort. “We love our community and want to make it better. That’s why we have the 1% rule”. Every month customers will be able to vote on one of three charities on the Fort Burns website. At the end of the month the winner will receive 1% of their net profits, hence the 1% rule.
Visit the Fort Burns Kickstarter at: http://ow.ly/fAIo9
