Sweet ‘N Savory owner uses Kickstarter to open second location

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — One local business owner is making a new venture with a twist. The owner of Sweet ‘N Savory Cafe will be opening a second location in Leland.

Now, the owner is asking the community to get involved.

The new restaurant is set to go where Fat Tony’s Pub used to be. The owner of Sweet ‘N Savory calls his new venture a restaurant built by the people and for the people.

“As I describe this property it’s like I get a feeling of a puppy at the pound that’s waiting to be brought home,” Owner Robert Shapiro said.

Shapiro is trying out a different sort of recipe for success with his second location. He has created a Kickstarter program, asking the community to make donations or pledges of their own to help develop the new location.

It’s a new concept for the area, and not everyone who lives here is on board.

“I wasn’t real receptive to it,” Leland resident Philip Winn said. “I think if and when i patronize the place, I will be contributing to their financial well being.”

But Shapiro says the rewards are three-fold and goes beyond putting money into the campaign.

How exactly does the program work?

“So they start at $25,” Shapiro said. “For that, you get a t-shirt. There are several $500 levels that involve things like, for the next five years, you can come in up to twice a week and get a steak for $10.”

Shapiro says his real goal is to get the community involved and make the new location a spot where people want to come.

Winn says there are other ways to get people involved.

“Put on something,” Winn said. “Have people over. Tell them what’s going on. Let us know what’s going to be happening.”

Shapiro says the whole plan is centered around giving back.

“The most important part of this is 50% of all profits going forward from this location will go to heal divisions within our community, which is something that drives me,” Shapiro said.

If you’re curious as to how this will work, Shapiro is hosting a Q&A session for the community Tuesday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the WWAY Event Center. He encourages the community to come out and learn about the kick starter program.

He hopes to open the restaurant in August.