Generous patrons and friends rallied to the Go Fund Me request of the owners of the WunderBar to help them get through a rough financial patch. Enough donations were made to keep the popular bar/restaurant and glampground open. Staff photo/Laurie Johnson
Over a period of seven days, generous donors gave more than $13,730 through a Go Fund Me page to Terri and Christopher Downing so they could keep and run their business, the WunderBar Eatery & Glampground, formerly the site of the Harbor Light bar and restaurant.
The couple needed to raise enough money by August 15 or turn the keys back to Brad and Sandy Rude, who hold the deed.
Terri and Chris purchased the establishment on a contract for deed for $424,000 in the fall of 2017. The couple spent quite a bit of time and money, $48,000, refurbishing the 6,500-square-foot building before opening to the public.
When it did open, a game room was put in the back of the facility while a lounge area was installed in the heart of the building. The front has a bar, seating for as many as 100 in the restaurant and a stage for live music with a dance floor. A glampground—a fancy campground with luxurious tents and unique trailers—was also added to the 3.5-acre site.
After learning through trial and error, the couple has taken steps to fix the operation. In a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing this June, Heart Rock LLC, the parent company of the WunderBar, Chris stated food costs and waste measures have been put in place. Prime cost numbers have been brought down from numbers that were as high as 85 percent to between 48-55 percent. Theft, poor menu and preparation, improper food handling of food, and inefficient staff were major factors in the high prime numbers.
With only a week to spare before they were going to have to turn the operation back, Terri turned to Go Fund Me, asking patrons to lend them a hand. The deadline was August 15 to come up with enough cash to pay their debts, and on August 16, the couple announced the effort was successful and thanked their patrons on their Facebook page: “Thank you Wunder Community! We have reached our goal!! We have no words to express our gratitude for the outpouring of support and love we have received. YOU ARE WUNDERBAR!”
As they move forward, more glampground sites have been added, from four to eight, and Terri and Chris are partnering with local grant writers and are seeking funds to improve their fixed energy costs. By leveraging grants, rebates, and getting their utility costs lowered, as well as getting labor costs under control, the couple believe they will be able to stabilize the operation and keep it open on a long-term basis for locals and visitors alike.
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