Big Bear Cafe

Big Bear Cafe is an independent coffeehouse, bakery, and wood-oven kitchen in the heart of the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, DC.Big Bear operates out of a 120 year-old brick Victorian corner bodega surrounded by a canopy of aged grapevines, herb gardens, a winding cobblestone patio, and flowering trees. It is a perfect setting for a morning cappuccino, an afternoon lunch with friends, a fire-lit evening dinner, or a weekend neighborhood party with live music and drinks. The business started in 2007 when a group of neighbors came together and built one of the first independent “first wave” coffee shops in DC with direct trade growers and roasters. Under the direction of the owner, Stuart Davenport, they worked with local farmers and organizers to create the growers only Bloomingdale Farmers Market (in the street at Big Bear’s doorstep), and developed a team of talented chefs, bakers, and program managers who grew the business year after year to include a full in-house bakery, a farm-focused ingredient-driven kitchen, a custom cocktail and natural wine bar, and an events program that manages wedding receptions, ceremonies, large family dinners, music events, community events, and parties. The business is a central neighborhood fixture that has collaboratively grown and adapted for 14 years.

With the support of its investors, Big Bear is looking to make improvements to its commercial kitchen, create public access to the 120 year old brick basement kitchen (where the wood-fire oven is located), to obtain working capital for spring and to purchase new equipment. The use of the funds is as follows:

• 25%-($25,000) for general kitchen improvements
• 25%-($25,000) for public access to pizza oven
• 25%-($25,000) for working capital for the spring
• 25%-($25,000) for new equipment in spring

Stuart Davenport is a DC native who led the development of Big Bear since its conception.

Stu’s background is in design and construction. His education is in the classics, mathematics, and literature. He has worked with Big Bear as an amenity in his own neighborhood for over a decade working with both amateur and acclaimed chefs, engineers, designers, artists, and craftspeople to shape a creative community business.

Security Type: Bond

Bond Duration: 60 months

Yield: 7.00%

Unit Par Value: $9.90

Total Unit Value: $11.73