Tag Archives: Adam Porter

Bulk Joy: New downtown grocer offers value, convenience, one item at a time.

October 31, 2017 | by Norah Griffiths Johnson

Provisions owners Adam Porter and Shaun Donovan

Picture yourself lovingly grinding your own peanut butter on one of the major streets in downtown Harrisburg.

Not on the actual street, mind you, but in Provisions, the just-opened, 2,000-plus-square-foot grocery store on the 3rd Street side of Strawberry Square. Sound far-fetched, or even a little nutty? Think again.

Make your own nut butter is just one of the many offerings available at Provisions, the brainchild of Shaun Donovan and Adam Porter. The two met several years ago through the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, but the idea for a brick-and-mortar grocery store coalesced as Porter helped Donovan set up a website for his online business, Appalachian Organics, which specializes in natural and organic health and beauty products, as well as food, household staples and even an extensive gluten-free section.

Once the pair teamed up to create Provisions, they focused on developing a viable business plan. While they knew they wanted to open the store in downtown or Midtown Harrisburg, finding a location that offered sufficient space at an affordable price turned out to be one of the biggest challenges. Aligning funding proved to be another hurdle.

“It was a process,” Donovan admits, laughing softly.

Ultimately, it came down to being able to articulate to potential funders the “why” in their business plan.

“Being able to tell a community story and how it’s going to benefit the neighborhood—that was really important,” says Donovan.

The two utilized a range of resources to help ensure they were considering every detail, including the Small Business Development Center out of Kutztown and owners of similarly structured stores in Denver, Colo., and Austin, Texas.

Speaking of the business model, one of the most interesting characteristics of Provisions is that it doesn’t mirror your average grocery store. Though customers can expect to find all the usual culinary and household staples, 75 percent of the store’s footprint is dedicated to bulk food offerings. When people hear “bulk,” many think of value-focused warehouse stores like Sam’s Club or Costco.

“Think, the candy aisle, not Costco,” Porter clarifies, chuckling.

Rather than shelves, customers discover gravity bins and containers with scoops. If you like, you can even bring your own containers, though some are available in-store for purchase, should you have lost the inevitable two or three lids from your extensive Tupperware collection. Dairy, produce and meat comprise the other 25 percent through local and PA-based producers like Trickling Springs Creamery in Chambersburg and Four Seasons Produce out of Lancaster County.

The reason for this non-traditional model? Porter and Donovan aim to hit an eventual zero-waste mark.

“The amount of waste created from food packaging is appalling,” Porter notes.

From a financial standpoint, they explain, packaging drastically increases the cost of food. In fact, depending on what products a customer buys, Donovan estimates that they can save anywhere from 30 to 60 percent on their weekly grocery bill. When you remove added costs like packaging and transport, natural and organic products—which tend to skew slightly higher in price—become much more affordable. In addition to the environmental aspect, the two cite an overarching goal to bring affordable, healthy food to downtown Harrisburg.

The intended Provisions customer base is within a 10-minute radius (by foot).

“If you need two cups of flour, you can buy just two cups of flour,” Porter explains, another bonus of the bulk model. “If the in-laws show up, or friends come over, or even if you travel a lot for work and only need breakfast for tomorrow morning.”

For those who work downtown but are not city residents, Porter and Donovan believe they can help these people save a considerable amount of time. They point out that, by shopping over the lunch hour or right after work, customers can alleviate the additional half-hour-plus required to drive to and shop at a traditional, suburban grocery store on their way home from work.

An added bonus: Customers can draw upon Appalachian Organics’ existing online system and network of vendors to access more products and varying quantities. So, if you want to buy an entire box of paper towels rather than just one or two, you can purchase it in-store and have it shipped to your house, or order it online and pick it up on site.

Going forward, Porter and Donovan intend to offer a variety of in-store events, demos, “meet the farmer” days, product samplings and cooking tutorials. They’ll also partner with local chefs to produce recipe cards highlighting ingredients featured in the store so that customers can learn about healthy cooking practices and glean new ideas for seasonal ingredients or those that are a tad less common (e.g. amaranth flour).

The pair’s enthusiasm for Provisions is apparent, but both turn coy when pressed on what foods they’re most excited to offer. Finally, Porter relents.

“I’m excited to carry stuff that I don’t even know what it is yet,” he says.

He speaks of culinary school and time spent as a chef as the underpinnings to this passion.

“I love learning about various cultures,” he says. “There’s a whole world of food out there, and I’m excited to dive in and share it with people.”

Provisions is located at 15-17 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 717-236-5700 or visit provisionshbg.com.

Bulk Up: New grocery store planned for downtown Harrisburg.

July 11, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Soon, this storefront will house Provisions, a new grocery store.

If you’ve been hungering for an urban-style grocery store in Harrisburg, here’s some very good news—your wait is almost over.

In a few months, Provisions will open in Strawberry Square, emphasizing natural, organic and locally produced goods, mostly sold in bulk.

Provisions will occupy 2,350 square feet of space next to Fresa Bistro with a storefront entrance on N. 3^rd Street, said Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which owns Strawberry Square.

“You’re going to be able to get fresh food that you can shop daily for,” said Jones, who described the market as a “locally grown Trader Joe’s.”

Jones expects the build-out of the space to begin immediately, with the store opening in mid-October.

Provisions is the brainchild of Shaun Donovan, the owner of the online grocery store Appalachian Organics, and Adam Porter, co-owner of the co-working space Startup Harrisburg.

Porter said that the pair met several years ago through mutual friend and fellow Harrisburg entrepreneur, Adam Brackbill.

“I said to [Donovan] one day, ‘I need a car just to feed myself,’ and down this path, we went,” Porter said, explaining how the idea began.

After searching for potential sites, the pair decided on N. 3^rd between Market and Walnut streets due to the rapid development of downtown apartments in recent years, as well as an influx of state workers into Strawberry Square.

“We chose to locate our new store in Strawberry Square to be a part of the growing community that has been developing here,” Donovan said. “The strategic location, within a short walking distance of transit centers and the developing residential sector, make the store very accessible.”

The future Provisions, from inside Strawberry Square.

Provisions will make the most of its relatively snug space by selling most items in bulk, thereby eliminating bulky, wasteful packaging. This strategy also will keep costs down, so that items should sell at an affordable price, Porter said. In addition, customers can measure out exactly how much of an item they need, reducing waste.

“We can put items on the shelf in a concise way,” Porter said. “So, we don’t need as much square footage in the store.”

Some items, like meats, cheeses and dairy products, will be sold in more conventional packaging. The store also will carry items like cleaning supplies, locally roasted coffee, fresh-made baked goods and locally sourced produce.

“We’re going to use as many local vendors as we can,” Porter said. “We may not have quite as wide a variety as a supermarket, but it will still be a robust selection.”

He added that Provisions is intended for a local shopper—a resident or worker—who wants fresh items and, therefore, will patronize the store more often than one might visit a supermarket, perhaps several times a week.

“Our primary customer is someone within a 10-minute walk,” Porter said.

He said that he wouldn’t be surprised to get some suburban shoppers, who might be attracted to the unique items and shopping experience. To that end, he and Donovan plan to promote Park Harrisburg’s reduced-rate street parking, which includes free parking on Sundays, four hours of free parking on Saturdays using an online code and reduced prices weekdays between 5 and 7 p.m.

If the concept is successful, Porter envisions Provisions expanding, with smaller-format stores in more neighborhoods in Harrisburg. That would contrast sharply with the current model of downscale corner stores in the city and sprawling supermarkets in the suburbs.

“People always ask me, ‘What about a grocery store?’ when you talk about a downtown renaissance,” Jones said. “Now, you’re going to be able to get fresh food you can shop daily for.”

ProvisionsHBG will be located at 15-17 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg, also accessible from inside Strawberry Square. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) is ProvisionsHBG. A website will be located at www.provisionshbg.com.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Burg Blog: Credit Is Due

April 25, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Who should take credit for the resurgence of Midtown, which includes the beautiful space that is now home to st@rtup Harrisburg?

Last weekend, some good friends from Washington, D.C., came up to Harrisburg for a visit.

They’d been here before, but not in awhile, so I took them on a little “renovation” tour—the historic buildings that had been rehabbed and reoccupied since their last visit.

We walked through st@rtup’s glorious new space at 3^rd and Boas, then checked out H*MAC, had a drink in the Millworks. I showed them the buildings now occupied by the Susquehanna Art Museum, modernrugs.com and Zeroday Brewing.

Later, thinking about it, it struck me that not once did I utter the words, “Eric Papenfuse.”

I mention this only because all four challengers for the mayor’s office have, to varying degrees, built their campaigns around giving the sitting mayor the credit (or perhaps the blame, I’m not quite sure) for the dramatic redevelopment of Midtown Harrisburg over the past few years.

I’m not here to defend Papenfuse, as TheBurg does not endorse candidates. But I am here to defend reality, as I believe that credit for the transformation of Midtown should go to the people who deserve it.

Now, Papenfuse, as a businessman, is among that group. His Midtown Scholar Bookstore helped anchor redevelopment at the heart of the neighborhood ever since it opened at N. 3^rd and Verbeke. He subsequently bought and renovated the buildings that house the LGBT Center and Yellow Bird Café and is completing renovations of three buildings on the 1400-block of N. 3^rd Street. Those are solid contributions.

However, he should not be the sole recipient of the honors or arrows, depending upon your perspective, of what has become of Midtown Harrisburg.

Recognize also Josh Kesler, who, through enormous risk and millions of dollars, gave us the Millworks.

Recognize also John Traynor who, through enormous risk and millions of dollars, gave us H*MAC.

Recognize also Zachary Nitzan, who through enormous risk and millions of dollars, is giving us the modernrugs.com buildings.

Recognize also developers like GreenWorks, Brickbox, WCI, Lift Development and the Vartan Group, which all have completed major projects in Midtown.

Recognize also small business owners like Ruth Prall, Adam Porter, Adam Brackbill, Ivan Black, Samra Alic, Theo and Brandalynn Armstrong, Steph and Ammon Perry, the vendors in the Broad Street Market and many others who have given Midtown vibrancy, customers and a resurgent economy.

Now, there are two significant things that Papenfuse, as mayor, has tried to do in Midtown that are worth noting. The first was the creation of the Broad Street Market Task Force, whose recommendations, I hope, will help the market further its progress and secure its future. The second was his attempt to close down the Third Street Café, a battle that has been criticized simultaneously for attempted gentrification and for ignoring troubled bars in other neighborhoods (you may notice a contradiction there). So, yes, he tried, but failed, in an effort spanning two years and counting.

Owners of the Third Street Cafe show their preference for mayor and City Council.

Meanwhile, Papenfuse’s detractors have ignored where priorities and money actually have been focused during his term: the LED streetlight project (citywide), the multi-modal project (several neighborhoods), the MulDer Square project (Allison Hill) and the sinkhole project (South Harrisburg).

Years ago, a friend, now deceased, warned me not to get my hopes up for Midtown Harrisburg. Then in his 70s, he told me he had seen the neighborhood do a two-step forward, almost two-step backward routine too many times.

I wish he had lived to see this day, that he could have shared a drink with us last weekend, as I believe that Midtown has finally reached a tipping point, a place of sustainable progress.

In this heated election season, it’s important to understand how that happened. It didn’t happen because Papenfuse waved a magic wand and showered the neighborhood with money. It happened because developers took extraordinary risks to restore this and that building, then business people took extraordinary risks to open this or that restaurant, brewery, shop. Ignoring that reality is a profound disservice to those who have actually rebuilt Midtown Harrisburg.

I would like to be charitable and believe that candidates have honestly confused correlation with causation or simply don’t understand how business or development work. However, it’s election season, and charity is hard to come by, especially when giving credit where credit is due.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Disclosure: TheBurg’s publisher, Alex Hartzler, is a principal with WCI Partners.

Gov. Wolf Announces State Grant for Moose Lodge Redevelopment Project

September 7, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Gov. Tom Wolf (right) today announced a state redevelopment grant for a major project on a key block of Midtown Harrisburg, joined by state Sen. Rob Teplitz, Adam Porter of st@rtup Harrisburg, Alex Hartzler of WCI Partners and Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

A key renovation project in Midtown Harrisburg is expected to move rapidly to completion, as the state announced today that it will release funding to help finish the block-long historic rehabilitation at N. 3^rd and Boas streets.

In a press conference, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that the developer, WCI Partners, will receive $3.5 million from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, a state initiative that focuses on culturally and historically significant projects.

“We’re going to make sure that this project works, that courageous, hard-working people succeed,” said Wolf, who praised WCI for taking a risk to restore the long-vacant properties along the 900-block of N. 3rd Street. “We’re not going to let you down.”

The $8 million project consists of four buildings—the historic Harrisburg Moose Lodge Temple and three smaller townhouses, as well as a large parking lot.

WCI acquired the properties last year for $900,000 from Atlanta-based Mosaica Education, which had operated the Ron Brown Charter School there for five years. After its charter was not renewed in 2005, the school shut down, and the buildings have sat empty since then, boarded up and increasingly dilapidated.

WCI expects the 92-year-old, 38,000-square-foot Moose Lodge to open later this fall as a fully renovated, mixed-use building consisting of 33 one-bedroom apartments and commercial space. The 6,500-square-foot ground floor will be occupied solely by st@rtup Harrisburg, the city’s first co-working space, which is relocating from the 1500-block of N. 3^rd Street.

WCI Principal Alex Hartzler said that much of the RACP money will go towards finishing the project, especially the renovation and expansion of the three townhouses.

The back portions of the townhouses were chopped off years ago to expand the Ron Brown School’s parking lot and provide a children’s play area. However, the buildings were not properly sealed, Hartzler said. In addition, they’ve sat empty for a dozen years, resulting in extensive water and infrastructure damage, he said.

“This has been a vacant spot in Midtown Harrisburg for over a decade,” Hartzler said. “With our team, we’re bringing it back to life.”

More than 100 years ago, the townhouses were constructed with commercial space on the ground floors and apartments upstairs. WCI will return them to this mixed-use format, and TheBurg plans to occupy the ground floor space of two of the townhouses, which should be ready for occupation early next year.

Hartzler said that the project appeals especially to the “creative class,” creative professionals like graphic designers, illustrators and content providers who might want to work in st@rtup’s space downstairs and live in the apartments upstairs.

“If you’re a part of the rapidly expanding freelance workforce, if you’re a budding entrepreneur thinking, ‘I have an idea, now what?’ we’re here to help,” said Adam Porter, st@tup Harrisburg co-founder, who stressed the area’s walkability and proximity to the Capitol complex as key assets.

The state had not released RACP money since 2014, even though it’s intended as an annual awards program. Several other Harrisburg-area groups, include Gamut Theatre Group and the Harrisburg City Islanders, have applied for RACP funds. Wolf said that funding for other projects will be announced soon.

The Harrisburg Moose Temple lodge was built in 1924, designed in the Beaux Arts style by renowned Harrisburg architect Clayton J. Lappley.

Disclosure: Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Food Network: Harrisburg’s craft food producers have formed a culture of cooperation, a web of support.

May 31, 2016 | by M. Diane McCormick

Urban Churn Ice Cream

Maybe the chalkboard notice at Zeroday Brewing Co. says it all. “Add a scoop of Urban Churn vanilla to any beer/soda!”

Or perhaps it’s the Elementary Coffee mocha made with Frederic Loraschi chocolate. Oh, and you can enjoy Yellow Bird Café cookies at Midtown Cinema, and One Good Woman coffee at Yellow Bird Café. Can’t get to Little Amps for coffee? Enjoy a sip at Garlic Poet restaurant or at the new Dalicia Bakery. If you haven’t made it to Midstate Distillery yet, try their Iron and Ice vodka on Café 1500’s summer cocktail menu.

As the Harrisburg-area craft food scene reaches a nice al dente, more and more vendors are partnering up to serve products created by their neighbors. They aren’t just sourcing from local suppliers. They’re cooking up new food pairings, cross-marketing their names, and cultivating new audiences hungry for unique tastes.

Through it all, they say, they’re lifting the city’s entrepreneurial spirit to new heights of innovation.

Support Group
Andrea Grove dreamt of more than just roasting coffee. The founder of Elementary Coffee Co. sought “to functionally be part of a community, and, with that, is finding solid partners to meet up with.”

“There’s a lot beyond just local ingredients,” said Grove at her Broad Street Market stand. “You become more than business partners. You become friends.”

Grove flavors her hand-roasted beans and brews with spices from Calicutts Spice Co. in Lemoyne (“You can smell the difference,” she says). Elementary Coffee is served at such establishments as the Millworks, City House B&B, Midtown Cinema and Chris and Val’s Café in Lemoyne. And the hot chocolate and mocha on the Elementary Coffee menu are flavored with mixes from the local, nationally known Frederic Loraschi Chocolate.

Grove reached out to chocolatier Loraschi before launching her business in 2014. She found they could talk about business and life, establishing the kind of supportive friendship that justifies one-on-one dealings, instead of contracting with big suppliers for everything.

“It divides your focus a little bit and divides your time, but the payoff is there, because you’re establishing something that gives longevity to your relationships and loyalty to the product as you move forward,” she said. “When you grow, you can grow together.”

Loraschi was well established, with customers in dozens of far-flung hotels and restaurants, when Grove called. Though Elementary Coffee Co. constitutes a tiny portion of Loraschi’s accounts, “sometimes it’s not about business,” Loraschi said from his pristine shop in Colonial Park. “It’s about connections with people, connections with the community.”

Through collaborations, food specialists bond with like-minded entrepreneurs, the kind who work long hours and have a passion for their product, said Loraschi. Starting a business “takes a lot of courage.”

“You don’t know how it’s going to work,” he said. “You give it your best try. When there is a young entrepreneur like Andrea, you want to help that person. You want to give advice. It was the excitement of helping someone start something new.”

Idea Exchange
Balsamic vinegar and kumquat ice cream, anyone? Sure, said Urban Churn founder Adam Brackbill. It’s a favorite of his, and Garlic Poet chef Kurt Wewer inspired it. Exchanging ideas and customers is a welcome byproduct of collaborations.

“I get a lot of ideas for creative flavors from him,” said Brackbill, who founded his business to bring old-fashioned churned ice cream to city living.

At Zeroday, Urban Churn is ready for floating in a brew or soda. In turn, Zeroday brews can be found on tap, depending on the rotation, in such restaurants as Garlic Poet, Café 1500, Rubicon and Home 231. By working together and “figuring out ways we can intertwine products, it is allowing us to access a broader customer base,” said Brandalynn Armstrong, Zeroday co-founder with her husband, Theo.

“Rubicon has a customer base that we may not get, and we have a customer base that Rubicon might not get,” said Armstrong as she prepared to open the Midtown tasting room for the evening. “By working together, it expands our footprint, our marketing, our branding. We’re all small businesses. Huge advertising budgets aren’t really there. By supporting each other, it helps us all.”

Changing Habits
When Grove serves a Frederic Loraschi-flavored mocha, “There’s a story behind his product that I can tell to customers, if they’re interested.” It goes something like this: Loraschi is French, world renowned, and “everything he creates is very pure. We know what goes into his chocolate.”

“It creates a larger picture, which is where the trend is going,” she said. “People want to know the story behind their products. We can honestly tell you what’s in it, but it’s also neat for the customer who’s buying it. They say, ‘I’m part of something larger,’ and they’re invited to enter into that story.”

Sprinkling unique, lovingly crafted products around town encourages shoppers to escape the grocery-store grind, say vendors.

“We’re going back to having the butcher,” said Loraschi. “We’re going back to having the baker. There is a resurgence. People want to know more about where their things are coming from, how they’re made, who makes them.”

Even Midtown Cinema taps into the craft food scene. The lobby is Urban Churn’s scoop shop. Java comes from Elementary Coffee Co. (“The ‘Elixir’ is delightful,” said Director of Operations Adam Porter, referring to the cinema’s espresso/ice cream/spice concoction). Zeroday acquired a can sealer that allows moviegoers to exit Zeroday’s tasting room and enter Midtown Cinema with an unopened can of craft beer (thank you, Pennsylvania liquor laws).

When customers can indulge in local tastes and BYOZ—yes, that’s “Bring Your Own Zeroday”—they get “an experience they can’t have at home or the megaplex,” said Porter. Naturally, a movie theater must serve popcorn (Midtown Cinema’s comes from Ephrata, by the way), but supplementing with local fare amps up the excitement and benefits all businesses “from a rising-tide standpoint,” he said.

Right Direction
Collaborations bring together people driven by “new energies,” said Armstrong. “You get to meet really awesome people who have the common core ideal of, ‘How can we make Harrisburg better?’ Sustainability can come from people living in the city, but growth comes from attracting outsiders to the city.”

The expanding “web of relationships” benefits businesspeople and customers, said Grove. Shoppers enjoy new tastes. Businesses find more opportunities in an ever-growing pool of potential partners.

“More than anything, you always hope with Harrisburg that momentum’s going to continue, but the fact that more and more people are moving in here and focused here and willing to start up businesses here is proving that Harrisburg is moving in the right direction,” said Grove.

Today’s entrepreneur-driven renaissance “is probably going to stick better” than the mega-project mindset of past city redevelopment “because there are so many people doing projects independently of one another, but all with the same goal of making this neighborhood and this city a cool, fun place to be,” said Porter.

As a roaster, Grove occupies the heart of this foodie ecosystem because coffee is “a focal point for everything that’s happening around it, whether it’s just conversations or revolutions rising up over a cup of coffee or the fact that there are a lot of ingredients involved.” And whether shoppers buy local coffee, chocolate, beer or ice cream, they are community-oriented and “meeting over food.”

“You’re part of a larger picture, a larger meal that’s happening, a part of a larger drink that’s going on,” Grove said. “That’s exciting.”

Where Can I Find?

Elementary Coffee

Chris & Val’s Café
City House Bed & Breakfast
Midtown Cinema
The Millworks

Frederic Loraschi Chocolate

Elementary Coffee Co.

Hummer’s Meats

The Harrisburger

Little Amps Coffee

Al’s of Hampden
Café Uovo
Dalicia Bakery
Garlic Poet
Radish & Rye
Rubicon

Midstate Distillery Spirits

Café 1500
Home 231
Lancaster Brewing Co.
Mangia Qui
Bistro and Winebar

One Good Woman Coffee

Yellow Bird Café

Pizza Boy Brewing Co. Beer

The Millworks

Popped Culture Popcorn

Abbey Bar/ABC
Little Amps Coffee Roasters
Midstate Distillery
Zeroday Brewing Co.

Short & Sweet Bakery

Little Amps Coffee Roasters
One Good Woman

Urban Churn Ice Cream

Evanilla Gourmet Donuts
Garlic Poet
Grain and Verse
Lancaster Brewing Co.
Midtown Cinema
Zeroday Brewing Co.

Yellow Bird Café Cookies

Midtown Scholar Bookstore

A Beer & a Dream: Brandalynn and Theo Armstrong had a vision for a brewery in Midtown Harrisburg. With the help of the community, it’s come true.

March 31, 2015 | by Lawrance Binda

Brandalynn Armstrong sits on a high-backed bar chair and surveys the room with her eyes.

She motions to the orange-painted walls, to the space where local artists will display their works, to the windows into the brewhouse.

This was her dream.

This was the dream that she and her husband Theo spoke of nearly two years earlier when they first went public with their hope to open a microbrewery in Harrisburg.

“It will happen,” Brandalynn wrote in a Facebook post after a story entitled “Beer Ambition” appeared in TheBurg.

And, now, incredibly, it has.

This month, Zeroday Brewing Co. will open its doors, and the first thirsty, curious customers will stream in, ready to sample Theo’s artisanal quaffs, from blondes to stouts.

They will gather at the bar made of salvaged corrugated metal from a 100-year-old Perry County barn. They will sit at a counter ledge carved from locally sourced, reclaimed wood. They’ll huddle with friends at the dozen or so tables and high tops, maybe while enjoying a bite of charcuterie or listening to someone from the neighborhood play guitar.

Brandalynn pauses a moment, looks up at the roof timbers they uncovered after removing the drop ceiling; looks down at the freshly poured concrete floor.

“This building was just made for us,” she said.

Where We Left Them

From the beginning, the Armstrongs centered on Midtown Harrisburg as the home of their future brewery.

They liked the neighborhood feel of what they wanted to be a neighborhood place and the complement of nearby destinations like Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Midtown Cinema and the new Susquehanna Art Museum.

They first had their eyes on Midtown’s landmark “Carpets and Draperies” building on N. 3^rd Street, but abandoned that plan after calculating the cost of transforming the large, dilapidated structure into usable space.

That disappointment, though, led directly to where they eventually landed. Surveying the outside of the building, waiting for their realtor to arrive, they were approached by Adam Porter, co-owner of St@rtup, the co-working outfit next door. Porter recognized them from TheBurg story, and they got to talking.

“I said, ‘Oh, you’re the brewery folks,’” Porter recollected. “I got their email and later found out that the building they were looking at wasn’t going to be a good fit for them.”

He then thought about the large, unused block of space down the street at the back of Midtown Cinema, where he serves as director of operations.

“I thought it would be a great complementary use for the Cinema,” Porter said.

Built as a grocery store, the squat, circa-1940 brick building long had been cut in two, the back half last serving as a plasma donation center. It had been empty for about 20 years.

“It wasn’t much to look at,” joked Brandalynn.

Indeed, floor and ceilings tiles were damaged and missing. Medical equipment had been left behind. The dust was thick, and debris was scattered everywhere.

But the Armstrongs liked the size and loved the location. They also got the strong backing of John Tierney and Matt Tunnell, principals of Lift Development LLC, which owns the building and the Cinema.

“After Adam introduced the Armstrongs, we saw what they were doing and that they already had a great following,” said Tunnell. “We thought they’d be a terrific addition to the Cinema and to Midtown.”

Cool Area

Brandalynn and Theo had found a place they wanted, but they now needed to find out if the community wanted them.

So, they set out to meet their potential neighbors and get their support before appearing before the city’s Zoning Hearing Board. Some people did object to the proposal, worried about potential traffic, noise and odors. Many others, though, supported the brewery, which strengthened their application for a zoning variance and, just as importantly, gave them assurance that they were welcomed.

“We never could have done this without the community’s support,” said Brandalynn.

The build-out began in August and was completed just a few months later. Licenses, permitting and equipment delivery, however, pushed the open date up several months. The Armstrongs were especially frustrated by the delay of a critical piece of equipment called a mash tun, which got hung up at a port in Seattle during the recent dockworkers strike.

The couple’s greatest disappointment, though, came last year, when they learned that they would have to abandon their original, beloved moniker, Alter Ego Brewing Co.

They had conducted a trademark search before settling on Alter Ego, but a subsequent, more thorough investigation revealed a potential conflict with another company. The Armstrongs didn’t want to run the risk of losing a trademark challenge down the road. So, for the long-term good of their business, they reluctantly changed the name of their brewery.

After brainstorming, they agreed to Zeroday Brewing, after the hiking term, “zero day,” which means a day when no miles are logged. It was a nod to the time that Theo hiked the Appalachian Trail and a statement of how they felt about their new home.

“You only take a zero day to explore a cool area,” said Brandalynn. “We feel that Harrisburg is a zero-day destination.”

Grain to Glass

When I met up with the couple in early March, the tasting room was complete. The tables were set up, the stools positioned, and the USB ports below the Corian bar counter had just been installed.

The 1,500-square-foot space comfortably holds 60 people, and the high ceilings and well-spaced tables give the room a relaxed, uncrowded feel. Brandalynn describes the décor as “man cave chic,” by which she means “manly with warm accents.” Though the intentional absence of that most essential part of the man cave—the TV—might belie that description.

On the other side of the wall, the brewhouse was nearly complete. The seven-barrel system was installed with the exception of the 25-foot exhaust stack, which was erected in the midst of a snowstorm several days later and now towers above the building.

They had even received their first shipments of barley, which sat in piles of large, heavy bags, just waiting for Theo to start the process of milling, mashing, fermenting, kegging, tapping and pouring.

“It is literally 20 feet from grain to glass here,” he said.

On a nearby pallet, two-pint cans called crowlers (can-plus-growler) were stacked, ready for take-out, a perfect portable vessel for movie patrons who want to enjoy a beverage while in the theater.

A few weeks before opening, Zeroday somewhat resembled an empty movie set itself—built out, but just waiting for the action to begin. Behind the scenes, though, the Armstrongs had been attending to a hundred last-minute details, and the mad dash to the final approvals clearly had taken a toll.

“I’m exhausted; Theo’s exhausted,” said Brandalynn. “But, when we push that first pint of beer across the counter, it will be worth it.”

Two years ago, when we first met the Armstrongs, they had a goal to build a business and share their beer with the world. Since then, their mission had grown.

They still wanted to make excellent beer, but they also hoped their brewery would be a credit to the people of Harrisburg, that it would serve the needs of the community and bring in outsiders—“beer tourists”—who might not venture into Midtown otherwise. The newcomers then would be able to experience the charming, historic neighborhood and the destination that it’s rapidly becoming.

“We always say that Midtown made this happen,” said Brandalynn. “It’s taken a community to make this work, and we don’t want to let them down.”

Zeroday Brewing Co. is located at the rear of 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. The grand opening is slated for April 8. For all the information, go to www.zerodaybrewing.com or visit their Facebook page.

Harrisburg, Let’s Get To Work: Have a great business idea? We might help fund it.

September 30, 2014 | by J. Alex Hartzler

Among the many hidden talents in our capital city is a burgeoning entrepreneurial class.

People of all ages are striking out on their own to build businesses and careers on their own terms, and they are backing up their ideas with hard work. These businesses, both small and large, make up much of the daily fabric of our city and provide the foundation of its creative lifeblood. For a city of such modest size (about 50,000 people), Harrisburg has more than its fair share of risk-takers and entrepreneurs.

Whenever asked, I always say that the hardest part of being an entrepreneur is taking that first step and giving up your day job. My path exemplifies this. I studied hard, completed college and law school, took a job at a leading law firm and, after only five years into my legal career, decided to quit and take a 50 percent pay cut with stock options at a start-up company formed by two immigrants from Morocco.

Not long after taking this entrepreneurial leap, two other partners and I purchased the company from its founders, dramatically grew its revenues and, a few years later, sold it to another company in California. It was, by any measure, a tremendous success. Had we failed, however, it would have been a very difficult and long road back for me to replace the income and considerable perks and prestige that I enjoyed as a lawyer. When I made the decision to leave my stable legal career, the path before me was precarious and uncertain. But, as it turned out, it was the best career decision of my life.

At their heart, entrepreneurs are a peculiar group. Being one of them (and married to another, very talented one), I am familiar with their many quirks, ambitions, unconventional outlooks on life and otherwise wily ways that can sometimes make them a bit foreign to others.

An entrepreneur is a risk-taker. He or she eschews convention in exchange for freedom and control. Whereas some paths are predictable, entrepreneurs revel in the unknown. Whereas some paths extend the status quo, entrepreneurs seek to disrupt it.

Entrepreneurship is a mindset, a constant way of thinking and being. Its practitioners are relentless, resilient and self-assured (some might say a little too much), but the best ones also listen and consider carefully the advice of a group they trust most (my “personal board,” as I call it), even if they sometimes ignore it.

Entrepreneurs are bold, yes, but also humble in the deepest sense, and from that humility springs an indefatigable drive to stay focused “like a dog on a bone”—never letting go. They always seek to get to “yes.” “No” is just another step on the path to getting there.

In a word, entrepreneurs are different. Culturally, we like to celebrate (and also sometimes malign) the feats of the individual entrepreneur. Names like Jobs, Gates, Ellison and Musk are associated with incredible accomplishment and success, just like the names of Ford, Rockefeller, Carnegie and Vanderbilt before them. It is true that entrepreneurs succeed (and often fail) individually like no other, due in large part to the traits described above. But it is equally true that success in entrepreneurship always contains a healthy dose of assistance from others who believed in them as much as they believed in themselves.

In that vein, just last year, Adam Porter and Adam Brackbill began an effort to formalize and promote entrepreneurship in the city. From their modest offices on N. 3^rd Street in Harrisburg, they provide office and creative space for those who wish to dream and create. St@rtup is a terrific new venture, and they and many others (not the least of whom is Lori Fortini at WCI Partners—an employee of the company I co-own, but also a true entrepreneur in her own right) have inspired me to expand my investments in the next generation of dreamers and doers.

Therefore, with some pride and excitement, I am pleased to announce to you, our readers, that I, along with several established business leaders, want to encourage and financially support other Harrisburg entrepreneurs. In short, we want to invest in your business.

Here are the criteria:

Own and operate a business that is either Harrisburg based or supports Harrisburg residents. We prefer that you live in the city, but having your business here is a great start.
Have invested your own money already. If you aren’t “all in,” you aren’t really trying. Most investors want to see “skin in the game.” We certainly do.
Fill a niche. Another restaurant or coffee shop will have to be truly exceptional to be considered, as we already have great offerings in those areas.
Get started. A mere business plan, without some preliminary action to get rolling, is very difficult to evaluate, let alone invest in. Showing initiative to get at least part of the idea into practice is important and exemplary.
Expect that initial investments will be modest—maybe $5,000 or $10,000. Follow-on investments are possible. But six-figure proposals will not be funded (at least not by us alone).
Make sure you plan to be profitable and convincingly show how. This is not charity; it’s business.
Apply. Send your idea, business plan and profile to [email protected] and to [email protected].

TheBurg has always reported on entrepreneurs and businesses that we find interesting. With this program, I hope to complement TheBurg’s coverage of local success stories by helping to get new ones off the ground.

The United States is still the land of opportunity. Let’s get busy, Harrisburg.

J. Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

Playing Now: Change unfolds at a rapid clip at Midtown Cinema

September 29, 2013 | by Trevor Pierce

Maybe it’s been awhile since you last visited Midtown Cinema, Harrisburg’s very own art house movie theater.

That wouldn’t surprise Adam Porter, the cinema’s new director of operations. Since he took the helm a few months back, lots of folks, often people from the neighborhood, have popped their heads in for the first time in years.

“A lot of the local people have made a point to see what’s new,” said Porter. “We’ve been getting rave reviews for what we’ve started.”

So then, what is new? Plenty, as it turns out.

Perhaps most significantly, Midtown Cinema is undergoing a general upgrade, along with a transition from 35mm film to digital projection. The adoption of digital will greatly expand the cinema’s access to film libraries, allowing it to offer themed series throughout the year.

“We’re going to start several series that people can buy packages for,” explained Stuart Landon, the cinema’s new director of community engagement. “We’re hoping to acquire the rights to the films from American Film Institute’s ‘100 Years… 100 Movies’ list, we’re looking at bringing a series of documentaries in, and lastly, a children’s series of Saturday morning cartoons so we can get the younger crowd in here, as well as children of all ages.”

The most dramatic transition will occur from Oct. 18 to 24.

“On top of transferring to digital, we’re going to be upgrading our facilities. The screens, the curtains, the acoustics and the sound system all will be improved,” said Landon. “We’re looking at getting better lighting, as well. It’ll be a really fun week for us with a ton of work to do, and our membership program will be kicking off at the same time.”

Membership will provide customers with discounted tickets, as well as perks including vouchers for free popcorn, gift passes and invitations to VIP events.

Midtown Cinema will keep at least one screen open at all times during the work, holding a mini-festival of B-movies.

“While we’re moving to digital, we’re going to have a whole week of double features at a low cost,” said Landon. “We’d love for everyone to come out and help celebrate our future at the Midtown Cinema, as we show all these fabulous films from the past.”

Porter and Landon have been running the show since June, after owner GreenWorks Development changed management teams.

“It was apparent that there needed to be a team instead of just one individual at the helm,” said Porter. “I’ve known Stuart personally for a long time, and our combined skill sets should result in quite a big change here.”

Porter‘s experience in creating environments suited to customers’ needs has informed Midtown Cinema’s renovation efforts. The team has already begun responding to customer requests through rescheduling the theater’s show times.

“We have loyal patrons, and we’re listening to what they ask for,” said Landon. “Some have asked for earlier matinees, specifically on weekends, and it was difficult for others to get from work to a 5:15 showing. We’re making the adjustments, and have moved our second showings to 6 or afterwards.”

“We want to make it so folks can come to the Midtown Cinema for more than just the movie, using this as a community space,” added Porter. “We want this to be a relaxing, fun and important place to be.”

The cinema café has focused on becoming a destination in its own right, with free wi-fi and an extensive and unique in-house drink menu. “Our fantastic barista Rachel Boone has developed about a dozen signature drinks that are ridiculously fun,” said Landon.

One of Boone’s most popular creations is The King, an Elvis-inspired blended combination of coffee, peanut butter, bananas and bacon. The café has also sourced products from several local eateries, including the Yellow Bird Café, Little Amps Coffee Roasters and Karen’s Krunch.

Community integration also has played a large role in the Midtown Cinema’s new programming schedule.

“We are really excited to be partnering with other local organizations to utilize our open nights,” said Landon.

Recent events include an exclusive screening of Sara Bozich and GK Visual’s new series, “What’s on Tap with Sara Bozich,” and the launch of the theater’s “3^rd in The Burg” series, which features a low-cost movie after-party for every 3^rd in The Burg.

In the end, the “new” Midtown Cinema aims to be more community-focused, welcoming to patrons and pleasant to visit.

“Independent film is an important resource for the community. You get to hear the voices of filmmakers from all over the world,” said Landon. “We still offer the same quality independent film. Our core value is that those voices can be heard right here in Midtown.”

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, including show times, membership programs and special events, call 717-909-6566 or visit MidtownCinema.com or Facebook.com/ReilyMidtownCinema.

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