Local Family Biz, The Parlor; Possible Farewell

Dear Beloved Community, (TLDR at bottom)

In a world where every ending paves the way for new beginnings, (or some cheesy stuff like that), we find ourselves at a poignant juncture with The Parlor. Amid the echoes of laughter and shared stories, we must share the hard truth: The Parlor will begin closing its doors this month. This moment, filled with reflection and heartfelt decisions, brings us closer even as we face the uncertainty of parting ways.

After all, none of us want to see yet another integral piece of the original Austin fade away.

Our dream was to anchor this haven for many more years, envisioning a future where our team and artistic community continued to thrive.

When our landlord recently passed, the opportunity to purchase the building arose. These walls, slated to be ours for $3,000,000, echoed with optimism. Yet, dreams often meet the roadblocks of reality, and ours is a path currently shadowed by financial hurdles we cannot overcome alone.

Even though our family was able to get approved for the 3m loan, we couldn't acquire the $600k down-payment on our own.

While David (Deborah’s son) still has the building under contract, the closing date is set for April 30th. David and Autumn (Deborah’s daughter) have been supplementing The Parlor for the last year, by covering payroll and operational expenses. The situation was exastribated when the owner, Deborah Gill, was injured in a car accident, and forced into pulling out a few small personal loans just to keep the lights on during recovery.

Our unwavering intentions to ensure our team was payed a livable wage, led to a monthly deficit that our post-c0vid bank accounts could not handle. This also means the $200,000 that David and Autumn had lent to the parlor, ended up just being consumed by everyday operating expenses.

While the many ideas that came with the freedom of being unrestricted with the building's use, the dream of rooftop patios, and vision of hosting even larger events seemed ever promising, the timing and finances just haven't aligned. Our team deserves certainty and currently the family can no longer float the expenses to make it around the corner, to finally see the fruition of these dreams and ideas.

We have cherished these 24 years of badass art, killer music, ironclad community, and great food.

This isn't just a closure; it's a testament to the journey we've embarked on together. Each smile, every cup shared, has woven a fabric of connections too precious to ever truly say goodbye to. It's a reminder that what we've built together is not confined within these walls but lives in the hearts of those we've connected with.

In the spirit of growth and resilience, we face this challenge head-on, not as an end but as a pivot to what's next. We're committed to exploring every avenue to support our team during this transition, fueled by the belief in new opportunities that await us all, just beyond the horizon.

Although we were hesitant to launch crowdfunding, we realized it may be the safest way to ensure our team has the time to keep working and find their next employment opportunity, regardless of our involvement.

We may not know what the future holds, but our journey thus far assures us that endings are merely gateways to new beginnings. We invite you to cherish these final moments with us, to celebrate not just what was, but what still could be. Your support has been the cornerstone of our existence, and in these final days, your presence means more than ever.

So here we are, in this cyber realm, trying to ensure our team, business loans, business contracts, and final business expenses can be covered. While David and Autumn never received their repayments, and Deborah still has several outstanding loans, it is hard to ask for anything more.

TLDR:

Landlord passed away and is selling the building.

The Parlor holds the contract to buy the building, but can hardly afford operating expenses at our current prices and volume.

To stay open we would need nearly $900k to cover the down-payment to purchase the building, and to cover operations while we improve the building and business model. Yay austin.

To close gracefully we need at least 100k to ensure the team is taken care of, and the business expenses can be resolved.

With heartfelt gratitude and a hopeful gaze towards new horizons,

The Parlor Family