Deanne Pittman, Centretown News
Bar Robo owner Connor MacFadyen is looking to create a space for emerging musicians.For local residents still mourning the closure of Raw Sugar café – perk up! A new music venue will soon fill the vacant walls which once housed the coffee shop.
Chinatown is expected to see the opening of Bar Robo in the next few months. The new hub for artists, owned by Scott May and Ali Fuentes, will feature coffee, cocktails, snack food and various genres of live music entertainment. Bar Robo will be the only bar in Chinatown, and can be recognized by its mascot logo featuring a robot silhouette.
Bar manager Connor MacFadyen says they are trying to bring a “new cultural hub” to the area, and are looking to further expand this music culture throughout the community.
Bar Robo can be easily spotted next to the brightly coloured Chinatown archway on Somerset Street.
MacFadyen says over the past year the arts community in this area has seen a significant number of these small venues close down.
Carleton University economics professor Hashmat Khan, says most businesses have a “critical one to two year period” in which they must establish themselves – or another business will step in and take its place.
Khan highlights the issue that so many local music venues face, and says approximately 80 per cent of small, local businesses die out during their first year of business.
“It’s really important for these businesses to build a clientele and have this constant flow to generate the cash flow and sustain revenue,” Khan says.
Bar Robo will feature intimate shows with local artists, but MacFadyen says they are also placing significant focus on the food and beverage selections.
It will have a coffee program in the morning – including locally roasted beans and a selection of cocktails and beer. Their menu will also feature unique, concession style snacks.
“What we’re trying to bring to this is a place for people to go after work, to sit down and have a beer or a cocktail,” MacFadyen says. “We want it to be super dynamic and enticing – kind of a fresh take on the other options that are already out there right now.”
Currently the building is under renovations internally, and to keep these changes a surprise until opening, the windows are covered top to bottom with white paper featuring decals of cocktails, coffee cups and of course, their signature robot logo.
MacFadyen says they have not selected a specific genre of music for the venue, but he says they will be putting a heavy focus on local artists.
Ottawa Music Industry Coalition administrative co-ordinator Rachel Weldon says they are thrilled to see another music hub going in where Raw Sugar once was, because they were sad to see such a music-friendly space go.
Weldon is also a local music promoter. Her job entails booking venues and setting up shows for local and out of town bands. She says although local music hubs may be smaller in size, they have a big impact on the broader Canadian music industry.
“Emerging artists need to start somewhere – for local and touring artists these smaller rooms are crucial for building up a music scene,” she says.
Weldon says the survival of intimate venues is important because they allow emerging artists the opportunity to grow and become successful artists performing in large stadiums.
“Something we’re trying to help change is that a lot of emerging artists leave Ottawa once they get to a certain point in their career. The more music friendly spaces and opportunities they have to build their careers locally, the better it is for the city in general,” she says.