Former Tea Lounge space to become "Park Slope Meeting House"?

The owner of the building, Mr. Dixon (also the owner of Dixon's Bike Shop, on Union Street), became enamored of the plan, and chose to extend extremely favorable terms on the space, and a fairly open window of time to work out the many details involved with establishing such an institution.

Our team has developed what I believe is a visionary rewrite of the coffeehouse model .... the revised framework: the outcome of our planning is a revolutionary, hybrid approach to the coffee house, workspace, venue, retail, and community center that we believe might prove a model for community invigoration and reformation.

The Meeting House would be a space where, on a typical morning, our children will learn how a telescope functions by building one by hand, while mom or dad focuses on work, benefitting from the technology we've carefully crafted to make available to patrons and members. It will be a space where patrons will be encouraged, with the aid of in-house software that virtualizes' many aspects of the venue, to collaborate professionally and personally throughout the afternoons. It will be a place where community-planning events will be hosted and town-hall meetings with civic leaders will be moderated in the evenings, until the music strikes up, and we are exposed to a diverse assemblage of genres and styles into the late-night hours. Food and beverage services are entirely planned and are hunger-invoking, even on paper!


 We are now at an opportune, but challenging juncture. .. However, we come upon a time challenge; the landlord is under pressure to fill the space due to the unpausing expenses of property taxes, maintenance, etc. Other businesses are vying for the space, even without benefit of the lease discount being extended to us, and not one of these suitors' plans demonstrates a sensitivity to the neighborhood's needs as does The Meeting House's (we are privy to competing offers).

Planning has consumed a great amount of time and financial resource, and we now need to either seek bridge capital that will allow us to complete the lease, begin breaking ground, and to continue discussions with investors that are now just beginning, or to locate an additional partner or investor promptly. In an even more inspiring narrative, residents of our local community could reach out to pre-purchase memberships (membership will always be optional) at patron-level pricing, which would, by itself, provide the needed capital to take this special space forward. As with the Park Slope Food Coop, the world beyond Park Slope would once again look to our neighborhood in the years to come for a model of community teamwork and leadership.....Sincerely,

Steven J. Stromer