Who among us hasn’t at some stage thought it would be really cool to own a bar.

Of course the reality of owning one, like any job, is not quite as fun as we think. But what if you could own a share in not just one bar but a fleet of bars that already have a proven reputation?

Well, that’s what Speakeasy Group, the multi-award-winning hospitality group behind Melbourne and Sydney institutions Eau de Vie, Mjolner, Boilermaker House and Nick and Nora’s is offering.

In what the Group is calling an “Australian hospitality industry first”, Speakeasy, and it’s directors Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson, have just launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on the platform birchal.com.

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“This is a unique opportunity for our guests and consumers, in general, to invest into a highly awarded and profitable bar group,” said Almenning

”On a more serious note, obviously investing in hospitality carries a certain amount of risk, however, we have a great track record at the Speakeasy group.

The Offer

The offer allows Australian investors and stakeholders, including employees, patrons and other industry leaders, the opportunity to own a piece of the Speakeasy venues.

Similar in nature to the campaign launched mid last year by New York Bar, Death & Co, the Speakeasy Group is looking to raise up to $3 million from investors, with rewards on offer for investments as low as $500, all the way up to $10,000.

“Our venues remain highly profitable and are delivering extremely strong returns on investment, explained Almenning. “Unlike most other crowd-funded businesses, the Speakeasy group will be offering dividend payments from day one, and we’re also offering some great “owner’s privileges’ that our investors can enjoy.”

As with Death & Co, the Speakeasy Group’s main objective is expansion both nationally and internationally. Nationally, they are looking to open Boilermaker House in Sydney, as well as other states, whilst also taking Nick & Nora’s to Melbourne.

Internationally we’re looking to expand the Mjølner brand, hoping to open a London based Mjølner by mid-2020. A USA based Mjølner is also firmly in their sights.

The Speakeasy Group’s brands, venues and teams are recognised as industry leaders in their specific fields and by delivering great experiences at an approachable price point are able to remain extremely competitive in a tough market.

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The Group

The Group are consistently recognised in their fields of expertise including operations, cocktails and whisky having previously won Cocktail, Whisky and, Bar of the Year, Best Group Bar Operators twice as well as Best New Restaurant 2017 for Mjølner.

First established in 2010 with the opening of Eau de Vie Sydney, the group has nearly doubled in size and turnover in the past 18 months. They believe that they have done this by being completely unique and memorable in all our offerings, be that a cocktail, whiskies, service or food, and using these as tools to exceed the expectations of our guests.

“We’ve always sought to do things differently,” Almenning said. “Giving our loyal clientele and teams the opportunity to share in our growth journey is really important to us. It’s great that the equity crowdfunding regime now allows us to do this.”

In the short-term, the funds will be used to open a Nick & Nora’s outpost in Melbourne, which will be the seventh venue under the Speakeasy banner.

“We are currently in the process of signing the lease for a super exciting new space in Melbourne CBD,” Almenning told BARS&clubs. “Build will commence mid this year and we are aiming to be open early 2020. All monies raised will go towards expansion.”

So if owning a bar yourself is not necessarily on the cards, maybe exploring the opportunity to own a share of an established hospitality group might be well worth exploring.