With The Avenues’ unique style and upmarket look and feel, it comes as no surprise that one of the first tenants to secure their space in the boutique-style shopping centre is an innovative, much needed wine bar catering to those who love a good tipple.
We sat down with Wayne and Dan, co-founders of Proof to find out more about their venture.
The Avenues: You guys are opening a wine bar in Somerset West. Why?
Wayne: Somerset West is located in the heart of the Winelands, yet there are almost no places where locals can go for a drink. We’re surrounded by beautiful wine farms but our location in the CBD will make it much more accessible to those who live in Somerset West to go out for a quick drink on a regular basis.
The Avenues: We’ve seen the design concept for the bar, what makes it unique?
Dan: We have a very clear target market in mind and the space we’ve designed will cater for them in every way. The bar will be an intimate venue which reflects our commitment to forming a personal connection with every one of our customers.
The Avenues: You’re approaching the project in an interesting way. Why are you crowdfunding the bar?
Wayne: We could raise the money needed to set up Proof in a number of different ways. By using crowdfunding, we think we can better connect with the people who will ultimately be our customers. Our contributors can then always say ‘I helped to launch this place’ and we think that’s pretty cool.
The Avenues: What exactly is crowdfunding? How does it work?
Dan: Crowdfunding is a way of funding a project by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people. Those who make a pledge towards our campaign are rewarded with bar tabs, private parties etc.
The Avenues: What can people expect to be served at Proof?
Dan: The focus will be on good wines from around the Western Cape but we’ll also stock a handpicked selection of beers, good local gin and possibly a whisky or two.
The Avenues: Why did you decide to open Proof at The Avenues?
Wayne: Dan and I are both passionate about the redevelopment of the Somerset West CBD. We’ve been looking for the right space for over two years and when we saw what was happening at The Avenues we knew that we’d found the right location. The Avenues will attract an upmarket clientele, which is who we’ll be serving at Proof so it made sense from the beginning.
The Avenues: Tell us more about yourselves, who are you?
Dan: We are two Somerset West locals. We both run independent businesses based in the Somerset West CBD, enjoy wine, believe in our town and its people, and primarily want a decent bar we can go to!
The Avenues: How do people get involved in the crowdfunding campaign and how do they get in touch with you?
Wayne: They can make their pledges and pick their rewards on our campaign page or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for updates.