FRIED COFFEE

The Bee’s Knees, Claire’s, & Tabella are changing the menu for restaurant sustainability..

A little over a week ago while reading Rod Guinn’s post on Avoiding Bankruptcy, I recalled a restaurant in Vermont that had turned to it’s community to support needed growth by selling certificates redeemable for food.

It’s The Bee’s Knees
Morrisville, VT.

The term avant garde evokes thoughts of a major metropolitan area like New York City, but, avant garde is occurring in this small Vermont village in the person of Sharon Dietz and the citizens of Morrisville.

Sharon had a small cafe called The Bee’s Knees in Morrisville, (pop. 2000 +), and it needed more space and major renovations if it was going to survive. That was going to cost a bundle. She considered selling it. The community wasn’t having any of that and local residents have pitched in with $1,000 investments which will be paid back over three years in the form of restaurant discounts.

My chat with Sharon left me with the impression of a woman who cares as much for her customers as one would for a family. She greatly values the relationships that have sprung up and the connectedness that has evolved between her enterprise and the residents of her community.

The cafe features music, art, and comedy, as well as serving as a social hub.

A short drive north will put you at the doorstep of another CSR.
.
Hardwick, Vt

Claire’s put’s about 70% of it’s food purchasing dollar into locally produced foods and the Chef, Steven Obranovich, is very involved with local farmers and processors according to an article written by Robert Smart, and another by Zachary D. Lyons.

I spoke with Mike Bosia, affable co-owner of Claire’s, who teaches comparative politics and the politics of food at St. Michael’s College.

Buying and sourcing locally can be a financial challenge to the bottom line but he said the restaurant is not so much about making a profit as being a social and community hub. Being a contributing and active partner in community growth and nurturing personal, rather than just business, relationships is the foundation Claire’s is built upon.

Bosia said the community model, discussed in Claire’s blog, New Vermont Cooking, was patterned after Robert Fuller’s Bobcat Cafe, (since sold and not operating as a CSR) and they have built other community relationships such as The Center for an Agricultural Economy.

David Goodman wrote extensively about his experience with Claire’s in an article titled Building a Healthy Food System in Rural America.

Eating as a idealogy

Unlike the other two, considerably more rural locations, Tabella’s is located in Amherst, Ma. a community of 35,000 + / -, and a fairly large student population.

Tabella’s approach to CSR is one of philosophical intent, and is all about about sustaining regional organic food production and they believe that there are plenty of ecologically minded patrons that agree and will support their efforts by pre-purchasing.

Tabella’s Member Accounts are:

Member Accounts are yearly pre-purchased meals, prepared foods and gift certificates.
Your membership dollars will be held in account form, at your disposal to spend as you
choose. We will honor a yearly purchase for 18 months.
Currently we offer three levels of Membership:
Discounts and Benefits:
$500 level: 5% discount on all Tabella products
$1000 level: 10% discount on all Tabella products
$2500 level: 15% discount on all Tabella products
$5000 level: 20% discount on all Tabella products
All levels:
To-Go food off menu
Tabella Market Option: This exclusive option gives you the ability to buy
housemade bottled sauces, salad dressings, marinades, patées, smoked fish,
cheeses, meats, house blends of locally roasted fair trade coffee, etcetera through
the restaurant.
$2500 member: Same as ‘all level’ plus:
1, 4~person off menu multi course take home dinner once a month (four
days notice)
$5000 member: Same as ‘all level’ plus:
2, 4~person off menu multi course take home dinner once a month (four
days notice)

I think the most striking aspect of these businesses is that the foundation of them is the symbiosis between the restaurant and it’s community that surpasses the proprietor / customer roles and moves toward family / friend mutually supportive involvement.

If anyone knows of other CSR’s let’s hear about them.