Rediscover Local: 541 Eatery & Exchange
Like a diamond in the rough, the little cafe known as 541 Eatery & Exchange was forged by the very neighbourhood it now serves. The idea behind creating 541 was to meet the needs of the local community in tangible ways… and it has done that in spades.
There are only 11 paid employees, yet there are over 200 individuals who actively volunteer their time to work at the cafe. By allowing customers to have the opportunity to volunteer and work behind the counter, local residents looking for work experience or just a way to give back to their fellow Hamiltonian have an easy way to do so.
This, however, is only one initiative in a long-running and ever expanding list of programs operating out of the cafe. “[The community has] taken ownership of us, in a great way,” says manager Abby Barwick-Snell.
541’s most recognisable initiative is the pay-it-forward program where customers can purchase buttons that go into a jar for others to use as currency toward their meals. Each button costs a dollar and is worth a dollar so that those with low income can easily afford a meal.
“We’re pretty proud of this model because it gives people a lot of choice. Whenever you’re on the streets or go to a soup kitchen, you just get what they give you and it’s not very dignified,” Abby states. “Being able to order and pay for your meal is restorative. They don’t have to feel ashamed as if they are getting handouts.” Furthermore, the button program removes the awkwardness for many who just genuinely want to pay it forward in an easy, anonymous manner.
Another initiative that has really taken off is the Homework Club, which serves as a perfect example of the community utilising the space for exchanges that go beyond the counter. The large number of community kids that hangout after school at 541 influenced the creation of a homework program on Wednesday nights where children meet at the cafe, collaborate and then walk together to the library where they continue to receive assistance on their assignments. While the Homework Club brings fun to after-school learning and cultivates friendships among peers, it also produces a safe environment for children when their parents cannot or do not look after them.
Other programs include Kitchen Skills Training, Barista Skills Training, Keyboard Piano Lessons and Eating Well Workshops! Since the cafe is so community-centric, any Hamiltonian dedicated to running his or her own program has a great chance of it being picked up and added.
A big misconception is that 541 is simply a charity that “gives away stuff”. This is not the case as all of the programs have been either worked on as a labour of love or paid for by other Hamiltonians. In Abby’s words, what 541 has done is “provide a place where people can pay it forward to other people.”
Ultimately, 541 Eatery & Exchange is a cafe that goes beyond serving coffee and snacks — it’s a place of hope in a part of town that desperately needed it, providing opportunity to those who require it most. Since its inception, this cafe has only positively impacted our city and continues to enrich the lives of our fellow Hamiltonian every single day.
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Robert Cekan is a young entrepreneur and proud Hamiltonian. He is the founder of the Hamilton discovery website True Resident, as well as Cekan Group, a property management group. He is also a Hamilton REALTOR® with Ambitious Realty Advisors Inc., Brokerage and an active blogger.
For all of Robert’s projects, please visit robertcekan.com
