As efforts continue to revitalize and restore the Lansdale Freight House, Discover Lansdale has found an ally in a local distillery that will host a fundraiser for the cause this coming Saturday.
On Oct. 19 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Boardroom Spirits—located at 575 West Third Street—will host a day-long fundraiser for the freight house, with 20-percent of all sales being donated to the restoration efforts, along with an equal matching donation from the distillery.
"We were looking to do a [fundraiser for a] great cause in the fall, and realized that we don’t need to look further than our own backyard,” said Zsuzsa Palotas, who owns the distillery with her husband, Marat. "This is a way for us to use our fairly significant following to raise awareness, raise funds and help support a local cause.”
Palotas added that she sees parallels between Boardroom’s tasting room and the multiple potential uses that a restored freight house could offer to the community.
"When we opened up our tasting room—even the first small one—we were always looking to create a space where people can come together in a relaxed environment and share stories, experiences and come together,” said Palotas. "We are not a ‘bar’: We are a ‘tasting room,’ and we take that very seriously. We see the similarities of how the freight house can become that space for the community and we see all the benefits of creating it.”
According to Discover Lansdale Board Vice-President Bill Henning, who is spearheading the Lansdale Freight House Restoration Project, they currently have about $75,000 in funds for the project. At this time last year, the anticipated cost for the structural restoration was in the range of $350,000, but Henning said new estimates put the effort at around $550,000 to complete.
The freight house dates back to 1903—the same construction date as its complement, the Lansdale Train Station at Main Street and Railroad Avenue—and served its purpose until the 1970s. Once the restoration is complete, Henning said it will serve as a borough welcome center and a multi-use anchor for the downtown area; a place where everything from concerts to wedding receptions can be held, right in the heart of Lansdale.
"There are just so many things it can be used for. Maybe we can bring the haunted house back. Lansdale Jaycees had the Haunted House, maybe we’ll have the ‘Fright House,’” Henning said. "Lansdale residents can benefit from it.”
In the interim, the focus has narrowed to bringing in donations to fund the work. Those efforts include events such as Lansdale Cruise Night and the upcoming Frachthaus Zer0.5K and Oktoberfest (article coming in the next few days), but ultimately, Henning said he would like to see the restoration serve as a rallying cry for local residents and businesses.
Enter Boardroom Spirits.
"The Lansdale Freight House has the potential to be the cornerstone of this community, and both a tourist attraction and a project that the community can be proud of,” said Palotas. "We want to support it in any way we can, and hope this fundraiser can become an annual, or even a quarterly effort. The freight house has been here for almost 120 years, and if all goes well, we plan to be here that long as well!”
Aside from the 20-percent donation along with a matching
contribution, Saturday’s fundraiser will feature hourly raffles, and also serve
as an appreciation event for Discover Lansdale and freight house volunteers.
Looking beyond Saturday’s event, Boardroom is gearing up for the One-Year Anniversary Party for their expanded tasting room on Nov. 2. Palotas said that they plan to host a large fundraiser with celebrity chef Robert Irvine, with all proceeds going to support military veterans and first responders via the Robert Irvine Foundation.
"Our business operations are anchored in this community, our bottles proudly carry 'Local Lansdale' on the front label, we employ people from the community and we need to give back to the community,” said Palotas. "It’s a simple circle where all the parts work together. You can’t pick and choose.”
For more information about the Lansdale Freight House Fundraiser, check out the event on Facebook.
See also:
Work To Begin On Lansdale Freight House
Freight House Progress Coming Slowly And Steadily
Boardroom Spirits Opens New Tasting Room
Boardroom Spirits Gains National Attention, Receives Award
Lansdale Zombie Walk 2019 Details Announced
