Keep Finch’s Teahouse part of Vancouver…

I’ve been putting this off for three years, trying to stabilize things…but since 2020 Finch’s has been struggling to stay open because of the pandemic & inflation…and there is no way to dig ourselves out of the crazy debt this caused, and still do what we do.

Also, someone just smashed another window on Saturday, which makes 9 in the last 18 months. Cafe was full and dude walking along at 2 in the afternoon smashed it…and just kept walking…

So instead of just disappearing and leaving you to wonder what happened…maybe people would rather donate the cost of coffee or lunch to keep Finch’s as part of our city, so we can continue to…

I’ve run Finch’s since two of us built them nearly twenty years ago with our own hands, each one like a big art project, because this is how I support my family.

In a time when every city looks more and more like the same city, seems like Finch’s makes people happy, with cafes that reflect local character, where everything is made with care.

Our staff enjoy working somewhere they are respected, as a stepping stone on their way to larger dreams. Most Finch staff are artists, because…who else would make your food look like that? And they would really like to keep their jobs. All the fresh food left each day goes straight to people who need it in both communities.

I’ve been working as hard as I can, but since covid my kids each also got hit with serious ongoing health issues, both Finch’s landlords sold the buildings, downtown is slated to be knocked down, Market in Strathcona my rent will double, and there’s been a boatload of vandalism.

If you would like to donate the cost of coffee or lunch or whatever to help, so you can drop in to Finch’s in the future to enjoy cozy drinks, yummy food and a warm welcome…and support local family businesses that make neighbourhoods unique…words could not express our gratitude.

Debt is at $90 000 and whatever is donated will be used to pay that down so after making it this far…we don’t get wiped out anyway. That number seems absurd but is what it is. I didn’t cause it, got nothing for it - businesses are just not designed to slam shut for six months and then open and close repeatedly with new restrictions. It took all the stability out of things, has meant that until recently, one day has been either half or twice as busy as the next (correct, there is no good way to staff a restaurant for that), and that combined with inflation of everything has eaten through small margins. All this debt built up since the pandemic including around $16 000 from broken windows & vandalism (no window insurance because until recently window insurance was more expensive than our average annual cost of broken windows) (and yes that’s very frustrating). Downtown Finch’s will need to move, but can’t get a loan to move & rebuild while the debt exists.

It feels like we’ve fed half of Vancouver over nearly twenty years.

’Many hands make light work’, is just about my favourite saying.

So we’ll see how this goes. ❤️

Peace & love,

Shery