This is a CTP of initiative: Ecovillage Schloss Tempelhof (Germany)
A café was intended to offer the organic products to the local people on a regular and more casual base as the existing monthly events. Tempelhof is located in a rural area lacking of cultural infrastructure. The community has grown to 140 members in 2016 and a place for casual socializing was still missing. Some members of Schloss Tempelhof took the ambition to open a café in the ecovillage. Renovation works in the two lower levels of the historical castle had started in winter 2013/2014.
In summer 2014, a team of three people started with opening a café as outdoor ‘Biergarden’ booth with legal licence. It was successful and welcomed and frequented by community members, seminar guests and regional visitors.
The renovation work has been completed in winter 2014/2015 and the café could be launched in a part of the basement rooms. The castle belongs to the Tempelhof co-operative and the café can use the space for free while the team receives an honorarium plus profits from the café.
The concept of the café started with art works, sometimes life music and as place to meet after work for conversations in small groups. The main focus was opening at weekends for seminar guests and visitors from the region. Additionally, the café opened at evenings for the community members.
The offer consisted of organic, partly vegan and other special self-made cakes, drinks and snacks; partly self-grown ecological gourmet products like apple juice, herbal teas, fruit and vegetable products from the Tempelhof organic agriculture with corresponding prices.
The community members had welcome the café as a casual meeting opportunity. Some contribute with music and other cultural events. The co-operative as owner supported the project.
Seminar guests to Tempelhof education centre are a regular, adequate target group for the concept of an organic café. Also guests from the region are using the option to visit Tempelhof. The Tempelhof community provides occasional customers, the base for running the café in a profitable way.
The space in the basement of the castle of Tempelhof belongs to the cooperative, hence to all residents of the community Schloss Tempelhof. In addition, it was renovated with finances of the cooperative. Co-operative members receive a reduced price. Furthermore, Tempelhof co-operative members sometimes do a working shift in the café.
Winter 2013/2014: renovation of the historical castle Tempelhof
Summer 2014: café opening as outdoor ‘Biergarden’ booth
Summer 2015: The Earthship building site raised lots of media interest and attracted visitors. The café was announced publicly.
Winter 2016: re-orientation of the café
In the renovation phase there have been conflicts around the ecological ambitions of the renovations and around design which could be solved and did not have a later effect on the project. For running the café it has been problematic for the Tempelhof community to find professional people who have time to run the café. Two persons, the café waiter and the cake baker, had left the project for other reasons. It continued in 2016 with a team of two persons and a changing concept.
“In the beginning the two team members were employed with 75% jobs. Today, the café has reduced opening hours; the team runs it as a side-job, partly by members of the cooperative. We are waiting till a professional team will take over the café” (Interview Martina Jacobson).
The opening hours are limited now to only Sunday afternoon. This caused discontentment in the Tempelhof community wishing to have access to the café more often. The potential and demand would be there for extended opening and larger events.
Furthermore, family celebrations and weddings are organised, also for people outside the community to a certain extend. However, it conflicts with the residential flats in the upper floor of the castle and with the seminar dining room and accommodations in terms of space and noise.
The co-operative had an own interest to run the café as facility for the community. It was perceived as encouraging that a café with ecological flair and ambitions works in a rural area and that the local population come to visit Tempelhof café.
The opinions are differing about the learning and conclusions of the café project. It is difficult to find professional people in the community to run a café. It is run now by new young members, which are also open to a rather conventional concept.
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