Three of the six principal
investors for The Port Bistro check out the competition
at a pub in nearby Coldbrook, NS. From left to right
are Dr Chris Maltby, ENT surgeon, Dr Bruce McLeod,
head of emergency at Valley Regional Hospital, and
radiologist Dr David Acton
Photo courtesy Dr Bruce
McLeod |
The idea was conceived, appropriately
enough, over a few drinks. Four Nova Scotia doctors
— emerg doc Bruce McLeod and his wife Lois Bowden,
an FP; radiologist David Acton and ENT Chris Maltby
— joined a geologist friend, Allen Sheito, and
his wife Jennie, at their home for what had become something
of a regular Friday martini group. A conversation started
about a hole in their community — a watering hole,
that is.
You see, their town — a pretty
heritage village of 1,000 souls called Port Williams
in the picturesque Annapolis Valley — is a dry
community. So finding a "local" that offered exactly
what the group wanted — good food and good beer
— was pretty much impossible.
But now, almost three years later,
the six have been joined by another 37 investors —
36 of the 43 investors are physicians — to build
a "gastropub,"a term that refers to a British-style
pub that serves high-quality food.
"We liked the restaurants in the
area," insists Dr McLeod, who heads up the emergency
department at Valley Regional Hospital in nearby Kentville,
"but you could always critique this or that. There wasn't
a restaurant that was perfect. I don't think there ever
is."
The sextet knew Port Williams'
dry status was a hurdle they'd have to overcome. Only
a plebiscite would change that status. Mr Sheito —
who McLeod says was the only one to take that Friday
evening conversation over martinis three years ago seriously
— called up the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission to
get the ball rolling. Two years ago, and with a narrow
win (the local Baptist church was reportedly the last
holdout), Port Williams become a wet community.
Since then, the six principal investors
have been involved in every aspect of the project from
public consultations about rezoning, meeting with engineers,
hiring a chef and, of course, raising the $1.2 million
for the project (they have about $1 million so far).
VILLAGE
VISION
But the gastropub was about more than just creating
a tailor-made hangout for its shareholders. Maple Leaf
Foods had closed a mill in Port Williams, which meant
not only a loss of jobs, but a loss of the community's
tax base. Dr McLeod says they hope the gastropub, which
has been christened The Port Bistro, will be a catalyst
for more development.
"We're envisioning more than just
us — a butcher, a baker, small boutiques could
come in," he explains. "I hope we have a viable business
that, for one, provides some amount of return, although
that's not the primary goal. But mostly I hope we'll
employ a bunch of people in the community and provide
a tax base. It's a way for us to give back to the community."
He says they are also pushing the
concept of "food miles," so many of the ingredients
will come from producers located in the Annapolis Valley.
"That's, in part, how we sold this
investment. Most of us have RRSPs, with money invested
in mutual funds or stocks, but they could be anywhere
around the world. Why not put your $5,000 or $10,000
in the local community?" says Dr McLeod.
One supplier is as close to home
as you can possibly get: Dr Acton has a farm that raises
grass-fed beef, which will definitely be on the menu.
ROOM
WITH A VIEW
The Port Bistro is now becoming a reality. The foundation
is set in the spring-thawed red mud. It's located in
what is a more industrial part of the village, surrounded
by a feed store, the now-defunct mill and a manufacturer
of timber frame homes. The V-shaped design will include
a pub, a kitchen and formal dining room, a facility
for private functions called The Tide Room, and a 1,000-square
foot patio overlooking the neighbouring university town
of Wolfville. The building sits just above the banks
of the Cornwallis River, which rises and falls with
the world's highest tides from the Bay of Fundy. There
will also be an on-site microbrewery operated as a separate
business by a Nova Scotia brewer.
Dr Acton took an active role in
creating the modern yet casual design. "After spending
over 30 years in pubs, you learn what you like," he
jokes.
BOUND
TO BOOZE
Dr McLeod expects the pub's grand opening to happen
in October or November. By Dr McLeod's calculations,
if each investor brought two friends each, twice a month,
they'd produce about 20% of the operation's revenue.
A gala opening for the general public would soon follow.
And while he — or the other
MDs - don't plan on quitting their day jobs, Dr McLeod
admits many of them, including himself, have harboured
a secret wish to work in a pub. He expects that he'll
pull the occasional pint or two.
"My brother always said one of
his favourite jobs of his life was bartender," he says.
"Maybe I'm a bit too old for that stuff, but my son
Stuart just turned 19, so maybe it would be fun for
the two of us to work on a Friday night."
Dr Acton, who worked at a Dublin
pub during his university days, says he's not that eager
to pick up a tray just yet, but will be more than happy
to sit on the sidelines. "I'll be there in a supervisory
role many times a week, I'm sure," he says with a grin.
|
