A lot of people in Guelph appear to like what entrepreneur Dino Busato has done over the past few years with his Sapphire Café & Lounge at 17 Macdonell Street, and want to see the business continue.
In just two days, 22 people have contributed to a Go Fund Me campaign to help Busato pay some bills and keep the doors to his quaint establishment open.
Busato reluctantly started the fundraising campaign after debts began to pile up, as did the pressure of possibly losing a business he has struggled as a young entrepreneur to keep afloat. As of late Wednesday afternoon, $2,170 of a $5,000 campaign goal had been raised.
Another young entrepreneur, Justin Litchfield of Advantage Painting, heard about Busato’s financial challenges and offered to give the business’ basement an overdue paint job, offering his services for free. The basement houses the business' kitchen, storage facilities, and washrooms.
Litchfield’s crew moved into the location at the corner of Macdonell Street and Wilson Street at around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, ready to get to work.
Sapphire has a good location going for it, right in the heart of the downtown, wedged between two busy streets with a lot of pedestrian traffic. Serving coffee, cuisine, cocktails and culture, the sleek little café exhibits original art and hosts original musical acts.
But Busato said that recent equipment breakdowns – especially his espresso maker and dishwasher – have been detrimental to the business. Repairs are costly.
“Maybe I should have done this two year ago,” he said, speaking of starting a crowd-funding campaign. “It’s been a huge struggle financially. I never fathomed the amount of debt that’s involved in running a business like this. It’s really stressful to be over your head.”
Opening a café was a lifelong dream of Busato’s. His business plan estimated that if 40 people each day came through the doors spending just $10 each, he could make a go of it. Those numbers have come through some days, but not consistently.
But with a lease to honour, bills and staff to pay, and a living to make, Busato can’t simply walk away. Nor does he want to. If the crowd-funding campaign is a success he will pay back-rent and get the needed repairs done.
In an Email, Litchfield said he understands the difficulties associated with starting a business, and believes that young entrepreneurs can and should help each other out. Painting has long been a summer business for him, but he is now turning it into a year-round enterprise.
Find out more about the Sapphire Cafe's Go Fund Me campaign or visit the Sapphire Café & Lounge website online.
