For Jason Bowers, Jeff Schwenke and Nelson Taylor, opening Clever Alehouse in Red Bank in the former Big Frog Brewing Co. space is personal on several levels.
The three met while students at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, and have remained friends since 2005. They also have a working connection, with Schwenke overseeing the Daily Ration restaurant Bowers owns in North Chattanooga and Taylor holding the same position at the Bowers-owned Bitter Alibi on Houston Street downtown.
Now, the three are venturing into business together with the scheduled opening in May of Clever and a new, as-yet-unnamed place on Signal Mountain in the former Hummingbird Pastaria space.
More than that, Bowers and Schwenke live in Red Bank and their stated goal is to turn Clever into a place where their neighbors want to bring their kids, their dogs, their bikes or their friends to grab a bite of food, drink a beer and/or hang out.
"We want a place where people can stop in and enjoy a casual environment," Bowers said by phone.
"You can eat a meal, or just have a beer and meet new people."
To help foster that community vibe, the three owners started a Kickstarter campaign to both raise capital, and to let neighbors buy into the concept. The varying levels of contributions come with a variety of perks, including membership in the Fox Founders Club, where backers will receive a lifetime mug club membership. The individual mugs - created by a local potter - will stay at the establishment and come with unique beer offers, as well as an invitation to a private founders club soft opening and other exclusive offers.
Meanwhile, the owners plan to partner with area nonprofits on a variety of campaigns to help the community.
Blake Pierce is executive director of the White Oak Bicycle Co-op, a group that refurbishes donated bicycles and gives them to people who need them for physical activity or transportation. Clients have included food kitchens, rehab centers and individuals.
The co-op started near Big Frog in Pierce's garage and has grown to now include separate office, worshop and showroom spaces within a half-mile of Clever. Pierce said plans are to have an open house soon to introduce the public to the newly opened spaces, but as it grew, members would gather at Big Frog after working on the bikes, and Pierce said they now look forward to continuing that at Clever when it opens.
"We met in that building before and it is important to have a place in the community like that," he said.
"This shows how Red Bank is changing and the tide is shifting with a focus on community," he said by phone.
"This will be a place to hang out and meet your neighbors."
Taylor said Bitter Alibi served that role for many years for downtown workers and residents, and in fact, has gotten so popular, it's hard to know everybody. He looks forward to widening his circle of contacts once Clever opens.
"Chattanooga can be small and you run into the same people, so I'm excited to meet new people that I haven't run into."
He said the three co-owners will split their time at Clever and the Signal Mountain location once it opens.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Follow him on Twitter @BarryJC.