Summary
We met and became friends at Luther College in Decorah, IA. That’s where we first started imagining a place where you could go to sip on a beer while you work, study, or read a good book. When we returned to the Twin Cities after graduation and couldn’t find a place like this that already existed, we decided to create it ourselves
Quite simply, Cream & Amber will be a place for those who share our passion for books and beer - that’s why we are so excited to involve all of you in our crowdfunding campaign. Your contributions will help us bring to life a space that blends your favorite coffee shop/bookstore vibes with the community of the craft beer scene. As we bring our vision to life, our commitment to you is to listen, build relationships, and create the space that you want to experience.
Join us and give now to help make Cream & Amber the best space it can possibly be - cheers to reading, craft beer, and you!
#booksbeerhappiness #creamandamber #bringingpeopletogether #supportlocalbeer #supportlocalbookstores
What We Need & What You Get
Our most significant expense in opening Cream & Amber is the design and construction cost associated with building our kitchen and bar space. Our goal with this crowdfunding campaign is to raise $20,000 in order to help cover a portion of these costs. The money you contribute to this campaign will go toward:
- Architect costs (design and creation of construction documents) - $9,000
- Kitchen and bar equipment/construction - $8,000
- Furniture and bookshelves - $3,000
We have several wonderful rewards to share with you when you contribute to our campaign! You can be among the first to use a Cream & Amber pint glass (which comes with a free fill upon opening) or the first to sport a Cream & Amber t-shirt or sweatshirt.
For those that are looking for more than SWAG, we also want to share experiences with you! Our higher level contributors will be invited to an exclusive launch party, get special use of our community room after opening, or become members of our Cream & Amber Collective (free coffee for life!).
That’s not all - keep your eyes peeled for a few surprises as our campaign progresses!
The Impact
We want you to feel like you belong when you come into Cream and Amber, whether you are there to socialize or tuck yourself away in the corner with a good book. We plan to make the space inviting, relaxing, and comfortable. Your contributions will help us make this vision a reality, and it will also help ensure that we are meeting all the necessary city, county, and department of health regulations.
We are looking forward to Cream & Amber being a part of the community in Hopkins. We love the people, we love Mainstreet, and we love the feel of the city! We are pretty excited about the potential events and partnerships with other local businesses, and your contributions to our campaign will help ensure that we can build a lasting space and be part of the community for many years to come.
Risks & Challenges
You may think we are a little crazy for trying to open a bookstore in this day and age. However, not only are independent bookstores on the rise (Google it if you don’t believe us), but we firmly believe that bookstores are creative spaces that encourage imagination, ingenuity, and learning, and that they will always be an indispensable part of the community.
In addition to selling books, we plan to host events such as author readings, tap takeovers, craft/DIY workshops, and more. Plus, our community room will be the perfect place for you to gather your book club! Although selling books is one of our main focuses, we also envision ourselves as a gathering place, which will help us remain financially viable. And of course, we plan to keep rotating craft beers on tap so that you can come back and try new beers from local breweries!
Other Ways You Can Help
- Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or sign up to receive our newsletter.
- Spread the word! Share our video, Indiegogo page, and social media posts with your friends - convenient sharing links are located in the top right of this page.
- Look for specific giveaway posts on social media for a chance to win a free book or other prize!
- Visit us in Hopkins once we’re open.
- Give us your feedback! What kind of books and beers do you hope to see available at Cream & Amber? We would love to get your input as we work on getting up and running.
