Austin may soon have the first and only cooperative-run bar in the United States, said Steven Yarak, founder of the Black Star Pub.
Yarak came up with the idea in 2005, when he was surprised to find that in the United States, there wasn't a single community owned-and-run bar. The concept of a co-op bar is that the regulars would be the ones who owned and ran the bar in addition to making decisions that influenced all customers.
Therese Adams, a member of the co-op group, said she believes that a co-op bar promotes the idea that Austin is about a small-town atmosphere.
As is the case with most start-ups, there are many issues that members of the bar are debating, including location.
Yarak said he is certain that if they could "find the right location," they "could make it work."
So far, East Austin is where the group wants to build the bar.
Charles Hueter, a former UT student, said he likes that he's helping create a "serious, authentic bar in East Austin in which he can have a say in how things are run."
At a meeting Saturday for those interested in the idea, beer lovers discussed some of their frustrations with the current Austin beer situation. They said that although there are some venues in Austin that carry a large selection of beers and ales, drinks are hardly ever served at the right temperature, and the price the consumer pays sometimes reaches $8 to $9 for a single beer.
In Europe, bars serve various types of beers and ales at the appropriate temperatures to reach an optimal taste, the group said. Yarak said the co-op would like to start the Black Star Pub to accommodate Austin with "a community-owned bar that served good beer at just the right temperature and still at an affordable price."
The concept is to have a small number of "good" beers on tap, and to rotate each keg out, keeping out at least one variety of types such as wheat or ale and to always stock a large selection of bottles at a decent price.
"The Black Star Pub is about bringing people together, and nothing quite brings people together like good beer," Yarak said.
Meetings started about three weeks ago and the group has been gaining new members quickly, said UT civil engineering graduate student Jennifer Duthie.
For more information visit the pub's Web site at www.blackstarpub.com.
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