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Nuflours turns to the crowd to finance Capitol Hill cafe

The Nuflours crew (Image: Nuflours)

The Nuflours crew (Image: Nuflours)

In the wake of the successful SIFF campaign to reopen the Egyptian Theatre in what may have been the biggest crowd-sourced financing drive ever for a Capitol Hill project, 15th Ave E’s Nuflours gluten free bakery is also turning to the crowd for a much smaller loan.

We’re seeking community support in a form of loans which will be paid back based on revenue from our business. Your loan, in the form of a Square will supply the financial support needed for the construction and equipment for opening the retail portion of our store. Here is a link to more information about Community Sourced Capital and how you can help. Our campaign page is http://www.communitysourcedcapital.com/nuflours/

The community loan process is done in $50 chunks — you put up $50 to help Nuflours finance its buildout and you get back $50 from the bakery’s revenue sometime over the next 18 to 36 months, according to the site’s documentation.

“Construction begins August 13th! Our goal is to reach $30,000 by August 28th, which would ensure an opening date in late September (just in time for the busy holiday season),” co-owner Amanda Bedell tells us.

You can bet other businesses in the community will be watching to see how the alternative financing strategy plays out.

CHS wrote here about the Nuflours plan to move to a fixed-place location and take over the old retail space on 15th Ave E that has served as a neighborhood bakery for 85 years. While the space’s kitchen and ovens are now being put to use crafting Nuflours goodies, the team has been holding Friday sidewalk pop-ups this summer until the old bakery’s front is upgraded with a new counter and cafe area.

Jessy and Jack
tshirtmockups-coloredFor another example of a Capitol Hill project getting a boost from the crowdfunding economy, check out Courtney Hartman’s Jessy and Jack line of kids clothes — one of the top campaigns on Kickstarter right now. Ending Wednesday, Hartman’s campaign had more than 60 backers heading into the final days.

Backers of the campaign get bibs and/or t-shirts in return for their financial contributions, and I would love to give a bonus bib or a bonus set of 3 limited edition greeting cards to any Capitol Hill parent who pledges on Kickstarter and messages me via Kickstarter that they saw the campaign on CHS.  That will bring the reward packages to a value higher than the contribution levels, so basically my neighbors get to pre-order stuff at a discount and be the first ones to get our products. 

“I’m a full-time working mom of a baby and toddler who calls Capitol Hill home (I’m over by the Bertschi school on 10th Ave E), and I currently have the most popular children’s wear campaign on Kickstarter,” she told us earlier this month. “My toddler boy’s clothes are covered in cars, trucks, and dinosaurs, and my baby girl gets to choose from ladybugs, princesses and hearts. I thought they deserved more so I decided to launch a baby and toddler clothing company.”

If you have a Capitol Hill-focused, crowdfunded campaign underway, let us know.

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15 Comments
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Courtney Hartman
9 years ago

Thank you so much, Justin – it is such an honor to be featured on the home ‘hood blog!

Amanda
9 years ago

Woooo hoooo Courtney! Thank you for telling the crowd-funding story Justin! Great story!

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[…] Nuflours turns to the gang to finance Capitol Hill cafe Within the wake of the profitable SIFF marketing campaign to reopen the Egyptian Theatre in what might have been the most important crowd-sourced financing drive ever for a Capitol Hill venture, fifteenth Ave E's Nuflours gluten free bakery can also be turning to the gang for a a lot … Learn extra on CHS Capitol Hill Seattle […]

Confused
Confused
9 years ago

An interest free loan, with no incentive to the person giving the loan, not even a cookie? Am I missing something here?

Hoping this clears up the confusion
Hoping this clears up the confusion
9 years ago

Yes, it’s an interest-free loan with no direct financial or material incentive to the person giving the loan. I’m supporting Nuflours on this loan and have done the same with other businesses raising funds through CSC. I’m happy to do this for several reasons: I’m loaning a small dollar amount that will be repaid, I benefit from having unique neighborhood businesses to enjoy with friends and family, and I feel good about doing something constructive to support the local economy.

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
9 years ago

Still, it wouldn’t kill them to throw in a cookie.

Amanda
9 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Oh don’t ya worry, there’ll be cookies! Just not the point or the focus of this type of giving. :)

crap bag
crap bag
9 years ago
Reply to  Amanda

Gluten-free cookies…

Wheresmyseltzer
Wheresmyseltzer
9 years ago

I gave the soda water guy money I read about here a few years ago and I never heard from him again. No thanks.

Notsodawater
Notsodawater
9 years ago

I think you’re confusing this with Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sodajerksoda/soda-jerk-soda-truck/posts

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[…] Nuflours turns to the crowd to finance Capitol Hill cafe In the wake of the successful SIFF campaign to reopen the Egyptian Theatre in what may have been the biggest crowd-sourced financing drive ever for a Capitol Hill project, 15th Ave E's Nuflours gluten free bakery is also turning to the crowd for a much … Read more on CHS Capitol Hill Seattle […]

calhoun
9 years ago

The Nuflours build-out seems to be taking a very long time….they took over the space towards the end of last year, and they are just now getting around to funding the construction? Isn’t financing the very first thing you do when starting a business? This doesn’t seem to be a very well-thought-out business, and one has to wonder about its long-term success. If I decided to contribute via crowd-funding (which I will not), I would be very worried that I would ever get my loan money back.

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[…] you to Jackson’s Lake Chad Cafe Black Coffee called it quits on Capitol Hill Nuflours announced a crowdfunding drive to create its new cafe space 7 Beef plans were […]

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[…] their times on the blocks. Newcomer Sur 16 will replace the old Bagel Deli this fall, and Nuflours is building a new cafe in the 85-year-old bakery space it took over on the […]

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[…] willing to put up a $50, no-interest loan through the Community Sourced Capital system — to help Nuflours finance the buildout of a new cafe space inside the 80-year-old bakery it’s been working out of since spring. 132 loans were made […]