Help Us Keep Our North Mpls Community Asset OPEN!

Community Asset: any property or income which by custom has been administered for the benefit of the villagers in common.

Welcome to the Royal Foundry Craft Spirits & Event Space crowdfunding campaign page to assist me with raising at least $160,000 by the end of April 2023.

Greetings, My name is Kamillah El-Amin, and I am the proud, soon-to-be owner of The Royal Foundry Craft Spirits & Event Space, perfectly situated at the entry & exit point of North and South Minneapolis from the Westside of town, in the Harrison Neighborhood on historic Van White Blvd (Fremont) just ½ mile from 394W & Dunwoody, and a straight shot from Downtown Minneapolis. This 15,000-square-foot location is in a prime, high-traffic area with easy street access and ample parking.

(We are open for business! If you are interested in renting our space for your upcoming event, please go to www.royalfoundrycraftspirits.com and fill out the inquiry form, and we will get right back to you.)

Why should you help me?

As a life-long North Minneapolis resident (#NFL), community servant, and small business entrepreneur, I have always sought ways to improve our beautiful Northside community. So, when I found a community-based business with an established reputation, solid infrastructure, and the spaciousness to let my creativity flow, I knew this opportunity was for me.

For decades, I have been honored to give my time, sweat, and labor to benefit the well-being of the Northside by feeding, housing, and supporting our neighbors in need. The elders have taught me that “a closed mouth doesn’t get fed”, so today I am launching my campaign and asking for your help to bring my vision to life to create a unique and beneficial community asset.

What’s it for?

I need to raise at least $160,000 before April 30, 2023 to complete the refresh of the RFCS coffee/juice shop and co-working space by May 1, 2023. Here is what it is for:

Final Purchase Payment of $60,000 (Due 3/31/23)

Equipment $50,000

Supplies $10,000

A/V Upgrade $30,000

Marketing $10,000

Why is this important to me, and to the Northside Community?

According to the data, only 8% of the distilleries (roughly 183) in the United States are owned by women – according to Women in Distilling. As you know, Black women represent the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs and we routinely face significant barriers to accessing equitable and adequate funding in the US.

With your support, I will become owner #184 and the first Black woman-owned distillery in the Midwest. (I will officially be #2 in the country, although Black Southern Grandparents have been distilling for ages).

Ok, back to my story…

My daughter, who worked at the Royal Foundry Craft Spirits, invited me to trivia night and when I walked in I fell in love with the place. My daughter was upset when I arrived and she began to tell me they were closing for good and that Sunday would be their last day. I walked around mesmerized for a moment - taking in all of the open space, the ambiance, and I envisioned all of the potential for the space. My mind immediately began turning, and I knew I had to do something to keep this North Minneapolis treasure alive and offer the opportunity to work, celebrate, and relax in this amazing place. In less than a week, I met with the owner, did a financial analysis, sought the counsel of my attorney and business advisor, and then paid what was needed to keep the doors open to complete our due diligence. Like many small businesses during and after COVID, RFCS struggled and the owner, who is a Woman and a Veteran, fought to keep this business together. She is, and will always be, a forever friend and because of this deal, she can finally walk away from the dark times she faced during COVID. NOW I will have the opportunity to keep this community asset open which is a WIN-WIN!!

I have been at the Royal every day for 45 days straight and I have been learning, watching, building a team, and retooling! My team and I are elated about this golden opportunity that will provide a beautiful space for our community, jobs and training for neighborhood members, and development opportunities for young adults and seniors. We have completed our due diligence, and with good management and some strategic business enhancements, this business will be profitable after the first year. I have used my own funds to pay off most of the emergency needs to keep the business running. Now I need your help to get over the next milestone: to make the down payment and complete the sale, and secure the funds to make the upgrades needed to solidify this as a destination event space in North Minneapolis.

Our RFCS “refresh” will upgrade our building’s signage and façade to catch the eyes of anyone passing by at any time of the day or night. With your help, we are establishing ourselves as the premier place for social activity in North Minneapolis/West Loop as a distillery & cocktail room, coffee & juice café, daytime co-working space, game room, event venue, content & comedy room, membership-only speakeasy, and an outside community space & market. You can view our progress on our website beginning on May 1, 2023.

To serve the diverse needs of our community, we will expand our products to include cocktail & mocktail kits to drive brand awareness and present options for those who like a little variety. At the bar, we will add a new line of non-alcoholic beverages such as on-tap fresh lemonades, fruit purees, and teas that will enhance the spring/summer beverage menu to ensure that there is something for everyone!

Who will benefit?

Community development is at the core of this project and providing opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds is my passion. We will offer STEM Internships in our Distillery, which will teach science and engineering, and we will offer internships for management, logistics, planning, and video and sound engineering to support our operations. Finally, for students interested in hospitality and culinary arts, there will be training and internships provided.

This campaign will bring more than dollars; it will strengthen our community partnerships and create opportunities for community business development. We are uniquely poised to build a community supported asset together and I welcome your ideas and investment.

Your support for this North Mpls community asset will have a lasting positive influence on the neighborhood by reinvesting a portion of the business's profits to create the North Minneapolis Community Reinvestment Fund that will help young people, seniors, and those with disabilities who live in North Minneapolis live in a vibrant, secure, and thriving neighborhood that we all deserve.

As they say, every little penny counts and we appreciate whatever amount you can donate to help us make this happen.

Please, do what you can do to directly support this effort and if you are unable to give financially, I’d appreciate it if you can share this opportunity with everyone in your network or connect us with others who have valuable skills or business relationships to help us!

Thanks, in advance, for helping me fill this gap and keep this North Mpls community asset open.

Your support is greatly appreciated!!

If you are local, please stop by and say hello!

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your generosity!

Kamillah

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Good to know info below!

– At RFCS, our in-house distiller crafts all our spirits to serve in our 2200 sqft “Cheers” like Cocktail Room. This is where folks chill out, bring their friends, participate in Trivia and karaoke, or try their hand at open mic comedy. Near Future: We will expand to add a coffee/juice shop and co-working space.

– The Barrel Room Our 2900 sqft serves as the Pickleball/Badminton court on the weekend with two dart boards for your competitive playing pleasure. We also use it as the Royal Rink on our family skate night; rent some skates and roller skate the night away! When rented out, it can seat up to 250 - 300 people. Near Future: This will also be part of the co-working space during the day.

– The Game Room is 1100 sqft of fun with table tennis, sandbag toss, Giant Jenga, or Giant Connect Four. Bring your game face for this room! When rented out, it can seat up to 75 - 100 people.

– The Crown Room is a 900 sqft private mini cocktail room. When rented out, it seats up to 50 people. You can have a personal service with its built-in bar in this room for your parties. This room is also where the cocktail classes and tasting events are held.

Our event spaces are designed to accommodate your wedding ceremony, reception, rehearsal, shower, birthday party, office event, social gathering, and other life celebrations.

Again, if you are interested in renting our space for your upcoming event, please go to www.royalfoundrycraftspirits.com and fill out the inquiry form, and we will get right back to you!