Hub City Brewing Supports Veterans

Beers at Hub City Brewing Co. will be "railroad" and “military” themed.  Hub City Brewing Co is a business incubator/accelerator, designed to employ and empower young, recently discharged veterans in an effort to expose them to entrepreneurship and small business operations in their transition to civilian life.

A microbrewery was one of the several options Tom Greer and his wife discussed back in 2011 when working on re-purposing the Rail Cafe property.  Back in 2006 they purchased and renovated the property with several other investors and opened the Rail Cafe as a coffee shop/restaurant in 2007, with the launch of the Rail Runner train to Belen. When the economy in Belen went into depression mode in 2008 they had no alternative but to close the business.

Tom, who is a Past President of the Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce, the VP of the Belen Main Street Partnership, and past Chairman of the Belen Planning and Zoning Commission wanted to redevelop the property into a business that would support the local historic Main Street  community as an additional reason for vacation travelers to be drawn to visit Belen.  With the growth of the craft brewing industry in NM moving in that direction was the pretty clear choice. Creating a business to teach young veterans about small business was simply a passion for Tom and his wife. The added value of Hub City Brewing Co. is that it also fills a missing business category in Belen as a place for the local community to frequent. 

Hub City Brewing Co is not another not-for-profit or government-run program that gives general job assistance to our veterans.  This is a real world, for profit business designed to assist young veterans in learning how to run a small business and to get job experience for a private sector resume. It is our committment in the private sector to provide mentorship to this young population by introducing them to small business and free enterprise. We are not a job site or a government program but rather real people committed to sharing what we have learned in the business world with our younger veteran population. For some of them that might mean employment, as it already has for our Brewmaster; helping them identify and match their experiences and interests with other employeers specific needs; providing introductions to potential employers who we know and are associated with.

Supporting Hub City Brewing Co. daily operations and equipment acquisitions specifically listed below will help us continue to grow as a private sector business, providing these young veterans a forum to meet their peers in a social/work environment. Here they can be mentored by others who can share with them the process of identifying career opportunities that fit their interests and skills as they transition into civilian life.

Finding an appropriate business development and funding model for this enterprise lead Tom to do two focus groups with young veterans on how they would look at our plan to develop Hub City Brewing Co as an entrepreneurship model they themselves could use. Overwhelmingly the participants stressed the following limitations they face when considering funding such a business venture for themselves:

-I don’t have any business background
-I have little or no credit (or have bad credit)
-I have no civilian job credentials
-I wouldn’t know where to start
-I don’t have a lot of friends
-My family doesn’t have the resources to assist

Tom's immediate reaction was that if he went out and simply borrowed the money to start up Hub City Brewing Co., which could have been done, it would not have created a valid model of how they too could start a business given their observations. While there are numerous sources out there that fund small businesses, mostly government run, the collateral requirements, credit scores, personal guarantees and additional income needed to cover the debt disqualify most of those I interviewed.

So the idea of “Guerilla Entrepreneurship” was born.  First and foremost it’s about finding those with common interests (some will be friends, others will be interested people with common background such as older successful veterans already engaged in business), others will be those involved directly in the business that the young veteran is interested in starting (in this case a micro brewery).

Some will have unused equipment that can be donated, loaned or purchased with deferred repayments that are needed to get the venture started. 

There will also be a few friends, like we have, who can contribute/loan money that will get the operation up and running. They might just be willing to donate because they believe in helping young veterans get started with a civilian experience. But you also need some ongoing operating capital from these friends and family to get off the ground.

"Crowd Funding" such as "Go Fund Me" are among the most promising new sources of development money. That's why we are making this pitch to all of you. Putting together a substantial number of friends and supporters who are each willing to contribute a small amount of money will teach the vets by example how to utilize such
non-conventional resources to get started. Those who contribute will receive, in exchange,  a gift recognizing them for their help. This is an essential  part of making “Guerilla Entrepreneurship” work.

This brings us to where you can help keep moving this mission forward.  By contributing to our "Go Fund Me" effort you can demonstrate the power of friends and like-minded supporters to make such small business enterprises a success and a model for others to follow.

We have already purchased the core brewing equipment and the walk-in refrigerator with a loan from an angel investor. So that start-up cost ($50,000) is behind us and we opened Nov. 24, 2016 with the Tap Room serving beer from a sister brewery. We now are poised to launch the brewing operation. There was a bright tank to purchase ($2,000), installation of the electrical service to the brewing area ($1,800), some building renovations ($2,000) and the initial start up cost of purchasing beer ($2,000), ongoing costs of paying our brewmaster ($2,000/mo) , making the mortgage payment ($1,560/mo) and the additional costs for insurance with the alcohol liability inclusion ($100.00/mo). We are currently paying for some of these expenses with a 6 month, no interest, small line of credit we were able to qualify for that we will begin having to repay in April of 2017.  The tap room is currently contributing about 20% toward operational costs, but for the next 6 months we need to get the brewery up and running which is were the real profit margins are.  When you add up what we need to accomplish during the next 6 months as outlined above, you can see why we are asking you to help us raise $30,000.   

We hope you feel, as we do here at Hub City Brewing Co., that this mission is important and worth supporting. 100% of all the contributions from this campaign
(less only the cost of the merchandise you get and shipping it to you) goes directly to purchasing equipment and operational costs of the brewery project.  Please make a contribution to help us. Then show and wear your "Supporter" merchandise with pride and tell your friends they can help support us as well. 
  

The Story of the Hub City - Belen, New Mexico

Belen (pron.: /bəˈlɪn/; Spanish: Belén). Belen is Spanish for Bethlehem,  and over time has gained the nickname "Hub City" because of the Belen Cutoff of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The AT/SF Railway completed a transcontinental railroad between Chicago and Southern California in the 1880s. The route was less than ideal, especially where it crossed Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass. The steep grades between NM  and CO posed operational problems, including congestion, slow speeds, and the need for helper engines. In January 1903 the AT/SF began construction of the Belen Cutoff. The entire line was completed on July 1, 1908, allowing through freight trains to bypass the 3-3.5% grades of the old line for the new maximum grade of 1.25%. The Cutoff made it possible for many more trains to travel east and west across the United States. Today an average of 110 BN/SF freight trains travel through Belen in a 24-hour period. Located just 25 miles south of Albuquerque, Belen is also the southern terminus of the NM Rail Runner passenger train service that runs between the Hub City and Santa Fe.

What makes Hub City Brewing Co. such a potentially successful venture?

The Rail Runner train station itself is located across the tracks from downtown Belen, so the Rail Runner actually arrives at the Hub City Brewing Co. and not into Belen proper.

We are adjacent to Belen's New Mexico Main Street District which is a grassroots economic development program that assists communities in revitalizing their traditional commercial neighborhoods.  The District is where the Harvey House Railroad Museum is located along with numerous other historical buildings, art galleries, a winery and eating establishments up and down Becker and Dailes Ave. Belen is fast becoming a year-round festival town and the addition of a brewery has been very well received by both the residents and the City.

Hub City Brewing Co. holds an exclusive position at the station for serving the commuter and visitor alike as it is the only business located there. We personally own every foot of land that adjoins the train station, allowing us to completely control the economic opportunities at the station. It also gives us room for expansion and for the creation of additional compatible business in the future. Since we own the land and the building we are not tenants, subject to an owner's future rent increases. We know exactly what our mortgage costs will be for the duration of our loan.

On average there are 100 commuter cars in the station parking lot daily. Upon arrival home from work, the Hub City Brewing Co. is the only place to unwind with a simple walk across the parking lot. In addition, there are trains all day that bring visitors to the community from points North.  The brewery is adjacent to the  BN/SF refueling yard that services trains running between the Port of LA and Chicago. There are over 200 residential homes in walking distance of the brewery. This makes for a pretty cool competitive advantage don't you think.
 
What's brewing at the Hub City Brewing Co?

The Tap Room is currently open and we began  producing our own beer in small quantities early in March  2017.  We project an output in the beginning of about 10-12 barrels per month. All our beers will be  "railroad" and “military” themed. Our brewmaster has a large repertory of proprietary beer recipes.  We have begun to create a Local's Beer Club that will be responsible for creating the product names and branding. This concept of local branding brings a sense of ownership to the community.  (As you can imagine, many great train and combat themes have already been proposed).

 We are preparing to sell pint glasses, growlers and shirts representing the brand, along with Rail Runner and other railroad related merchandise. Several of these items are among the choices you have for supporting Hub City thru this "Go Fund Me" appeal.  We currently have a brewing partner in Kaktus Brewing Co that only sells at their brewery, tap room and here at Hub City. Among our offerings is a sampler tray representing our beers and theirs. We will also sell the merchandise for this brewery. There will be a "guest tap" for quality home brewers that will rotate and will attract the followers and friends of that brewer to the Hub City Brewing Co.  

The limited production of our beers is part of our overall marketing strategy of scarcity designed to draw visitors into the Rail Runner station in Belen. Hub City Brewing Co will be the Southern most part of a craft brewery tour that is currently being developed by the Rail Runner. We have already gotten great press coverage in their Express Magazine as well as in the Feb issue of Albuquerque The Magazine. We are listed as a new destination in the NM Brewer's Crew publication as well.  Find us on Google, Facebook, and Yelp too.

We current sell wine by the glass from our local wineries. 

Regular live entertainment on the weekends is in the works.  Currently, customers can order food from Domino's and other local restaurants where they all deliver to the tables. Customers can also bring their own food in and as the weather gets better the food trucks will participate as part of our encouragement of private enterprise. In the long run, the truck fleet might also be mostly owned and operated by veterans.     

Hub City Brewing Co is the perfect addition to filling a missing product category in the Belen business mix.      

Here is why Hub City Brewing Co is so important to the Belen Community: 

 1.There is no brewery in Belen. Additionally, there is no longer a brewery in all of Valencia County. There is, however, a thriving craft brewing industry in NM that is supported by both the locals and the visitor alike. Craft breweries are major components of all our NM Main Street communities. 

 2. We have the unconditional support of the City of Belen, the local business community, and the neighborhood.

 3.The Rail Runner commuter train has its southern most terminus in  Belen. Belen is becoming a growing destination for train passengers as the year-round special events schedule continues to gain traction.

 4.The Rail Runner station presents a captive marketing opportunity for the Hub City Brewing Co as there are upward of 200 commuters each weekday.

 5. The tourism traveler is ever increasing and will continue to grow. 

 6. We already own the building and control all the land adjoining the station so there is and will not be any competition. We will add compatible food and recreational businesses as demand requires that will enhance the Hub City Brewing Co. revenues. Among such ideas floating around are a classic limousine, scooter/city bike rental business, food trucks to support the brewery, a Made in NM store, home to a Regional Jeep Club and a destination for classic car and motorcycle events.

  7. Everyone in town already knows where the Rail Cafe is since we were in business for over 3 years going back to 2007.

 8. My company Creative Consulting Partners, LLC has access to tourism marketing for the Rail Runner and I have the tools to bring visitors directly to the Hub City Brewing Co.

9. The station parking lot is paved and lit with over 150 parking spaces, lending itself to numerous special events. In the past, we held classic car shows, motorcycle rallies, Memorial Day celebrations and music events successfully at this location. In addition to the passengers arriving at the station by train, there is more than adequate free parking directly adjacent to the Hub City Brewing Co. We have a written agreement with the NM Council of Governments, who operates the NM Rail Runner, for use of the parking lot.

 10. We have the only Harvey House Railroad Museum in New Mexico. That attraction alone draws several hundred visitors weekly to the rail station area.

 11. The Hub City Brewing Co is located adjacent to one of the largest re-fueling depot for the BN/SF Railroad. Train watchers from all over the world come to Belen to photograph the over 110 trains that pass thru daily. We have one of the best vantage points of the rail yard and the Rail Cafe is already on numerous train watching websites globally.

 12. Belen is one of the premiere NM historic Main Street communities.  In addition to direct access by train, Belen is located right on Interstate 25 and is served by 3 highway exits. Historic locations such as one of the only remaining WPA City Hall Buildings (1938), historic Pete’s Restaurant, and the historic Onate Theatre with Harla May’s restaurant are on a few of the destinations within the Main Street district. 

 13.We are only 25 miles south of the greater Albuquerque/Bernalillo County urban population center with over 665,000 residents. We are connected directly to this population base by both  I-25 and the NM Rail Runner.

14.We are a registered NM LLC. The Hub City Brewing Co. name was approved by the NM Public Regulatory Commission in 2013. We have our Federal Tax ID number, State Tax number and Belen Business registration. We hold Small Brewers License # 67078 issued by the NM Dept of Alcohol and Gaming. The City of Belen has granted us a Conditional Use Permit for the purposes of a microbrewery for manufacturing, distribution and on and off premise consumption of Beer. We began operations in November of 2016.

While making a profit is the primary objective, the transition of our younger veterans into civilian life and future employment opportunities is also at the top of our mission.  



When we get your order we will contact you for size and color. T-Shirts available in sizes S-XXXL.


When we get your order we will contact you for size and color. T-Shirts available in sizes S-XXXL.