Support Live Music at Tractorgrease
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Hi I’m Jeff Bonner owner of Tractorgrease Cafe. In Sept 2018 after 4 years steady growth and lots of successful shows our best night of business was shut down. I host the Friday Night Open Mic and it was the cornerstone of our business from day 1.
Why would an Open Mic be shut down? I know it sounds crazy……. Did you know that In BC you can’t dance in a restaurant that serves liquor either?!
This has cost Tractorgrease greatly. We lost a unique and fun Friday night, a great clientele of patrons, performers and in excess of $60000 in lost business.
I’ve started a fundraising campaign in an effort to get Tractorgrease Cafe back on steady financial ground. Our most profitable busiest day was taken away from us for 10 months and this has left unpaid taxes, bills, a liquor fine and necessary improvements (new roof) in arrears.
Tractorgrease needs $41000 raised to get us back on track.
We're lucky to have such a great following which has kept us going all this time! Tractorgrease Cafe has 5300 likes on Facebook!!!
On March 15th 2015 the Fraser Valley District our local government approved Tractorgrease Cafe to have crowd participation. However, in Sept 2018 we were told by the liquor board it wouldn’t be approved because folks were staying too long and not eating. We were told that to continue having Open Mics, Jams or dancing, Tractorgrease would have to be a Liquor primary or bar.
One of the best things about Tractorgrease is kids get to perform and dance to the groovey tunes. I had to explain to my 6 yr old step daughter she couldn’t dance here anymore, that was an awkward conversation.
Why is the Open Mic so important?
Our Friday night had a regular crowd and we stayed open until midnight just to get everyone up on stage. It’s a free night of music for folks to check the place out and a welcoming environment for new performers and seasoned musicians alike.
It’s not just the Friday Night Open Mic, we also lost the Sunday Jam and it’s difficult enforcing no dancing at Tractorgrease.
The fines are big too!!!!
I’ve kept Tractorgrease going because I love this place!! Booking shows, running a restaurant, promoting, marketing it's a 24/7 job, but it's 100% worth doing. To see the smile on hundreds of musicians faces coming through our doors each year and finding a place to connect with our awesome audience. It's rewarding!
I see what it offers to our community, it lights people up. I’ve thrown all my eggs into this basket although I have other forms of revenue that could use my attention. I want to see Tractorgrease Cafe thrive and continue to be what it set out to be. A world class musical destination.
"Jeff Bonner you are a community superstar! We are so honoured to work with you to show others the pride we all have in our community!! " - says Allison Enser-Colthorp Tourism Chilliwack
“Jeff Bonner and the folks at Tractorgrease have had, and continue to have, a profound impact on the cultural mosaic in Chilliwack. Not only is Jeff a tireless supporter of musical talent, his venue provides an incredible opportunity for artists of all genres a chance to perform,” writes Clint Hames
"Support Live Music at Tractorgrease”
We have CD’s, T-Shirts and Fundraising Concerts.
You can come out to our July 1st Canada Day fundraising concert in Support of Live Music at Tractorgrease . Starting at 1pm. More info at Tractorgrease Cafe's Facebook page.
Thanks everybody for your support. Because without you we wouldn't be doing what we're doing.
Sincerely,
Jeff Bonner.
Why would an Open Mic be shut down? I know it sounds crazy……. Did you know that In BC you can’t dance in a restaurant that serves liquor either?!
This has cost Tractorgrease greatly. We lost a unique and fun Friday night, a great clientele of patrons, performers and in excess of $60000 in lost business.
I’ve started a fundraising campaign in an effort to get Tractorgrease Cafe back on steady financial ground. Our most profitable busiest day was taken away from us for 10 months and this has left unpaid taxes, bills, a liquor fine and necessary improvements (new roof) in arrears.
Tractorgrease needs $41000 raised to get us back on track.
We're lucky to have such a great following which has kept us going all this time! Tractorgrease Cafe has 5300 likes on Facebook!!!
On March 15th 2015 the Fraser Valley District our local government approved Tractorgrease Cafe to have crowd participation. However, in Sept 2018 we were told by the liquor board it wouldn’t be approved because folks were staying too long and not eating. We were told that to continue having Open Mics, Jams or dancing, Tractorgrease would have to be a Liquor primary or bar.
One of the best things about Tractorgrease is kids get to perform and dance to the groovey tunes. I had to explain to my 6 yr old step daughter she couldn’t dance here anymore, that was an awkward conversation.
Why is the Open Mic so important?
Our Friday night had a regular crowd and we stayed open until midnight just to get everyone up on stage. It’s a free night of music for folks to check the place out and a welcoming environment for new performers and seasoned musicians alike.
It’s not just the Friday Night Open Mic, we also lost the Sunday Jam and it’s difficult enforcing no dancing at Tractorgrease.
The fines are big too!!!!
I’ve kept Tractorgrease going because I love this place!! Booking shows, running a restaurant, promoting, marketing it's a 24/7 job, but it's 100% worth doing. To see the smile on hundreds of musicians faces coming through our doors each year and finding a place to connect with our awesome audience. It's rewarding!
I see what it offers to our community, it lights people up. I’ve thrown all my eggs into this basket although I have other forms of revenue that could use my attention. I want to see Tractorgrease Cafe thrive and continue to be what it set out to be. A world class musical destination.
"Jeff Bonner you are a community superstar! We are so honoured to work with you to show others the pride we all have in our community!! " - says Allison Enser-Colthorp Tourism Chilliwack
“Jeff Bonner and the folks at Tractorgrease have had, and continue to have, a profound impact on the cultural mosaic in Chilliwack. Not only is Jeff a tireless supporter of musical talent, his venue provides an incredible opportunity for artists of all genres a chance to perform,” writes Clint Hames
"Support Live Music at Tractorgrease”
We have CD’s, T-Shirts and Fundraising Concerts.
You can come out to our July 1st Canada Day fundraising concert in Support of Live Music at Tractorgrease . Starting at 1pm. More info at Tractorgrease Cafe's Facebook page.
Thanks everybody for your support. Because without you we wouldn't be doing what we're doing.
Sincerely,
Jeff Bonner.
Organizer
Jeff Bonner
Organizer
Chilliwack, BC