We were lucky to catch up with Dave Schearer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dave , appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

So a risk taken, in 2016 I decided that I had had enough of the corporate world of things and decided it was time to throw all my eggs in one basket to open my own tavern in Clayton. I had a great paying job, a job in the wings that I was about to accept that would have required relocation to Asheville, NC then after a year to Knoxville, TN. I had a 401K, made pretty much my own schedule, paid vacation, plus great health insurance. However, I was not my own boss and I was in no way fulfilled. I had always wanted my own place since my 20’s and knew that the days were numbered to pursue my dream. So with that I turned in and worked out a lengthy notice and put everything I had into my dream. I had two small children at the time but knew that this was what I was meant to do at that time and being a success could teach my children to not be afraid to chase down their dreams. Needless to say it has turned out great. First Street Tavern is a staple in the town of Clayton. We have amazing customers and I have been blessed with great staff though the years to keep the wheels turning. I am able to help with a multitude of charities and hopefully have impacted some lives for the better.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

So I have been in the hospitality industry since I was 16. Started cooking at a small pizza place in Durham, then on to bartending in college. Went to UNC-Charlotte, well I was there but got sucked into the bartenders life a little too much so never did graduate. However my work experience through bartending gave me life skills I think everyone should have such as people skills and multi-tasking. Ran a cajun kitchen after college, I love cooking! I love cooking something for someone and seeing them truly enjoy a meal that you made. After that I worked as a kitchen manager so Wild Wing Cafe in south Charlotte then promoted to GM of the same place where my team & I put more money to the companies bottom line than any other store in the company. Plus we had a fun time doing it. This company, Wild Wing Cafe, is where I really learned about the business. I had amazing role models in the owner Cecil and Dianne Crowley. They were what I strived to be. Then with that company I was promoted to Regional Manager on the franchise side. A great experience learning from 13 different owners and their ideas, experiences in business. Absolutely priceless times. All this lead to me opening First Street Tavern. I moved to Clayton and quickly realized there was a need for a small hometown feel tavern. I came across a house on the train tracks that was zoned for business and everything about it felt right. So I took the leap of faith and turned the downstairs into a tavern. We have been a locals favorite place offering what I feel is easily the best beer selection in town. A full bar and wine. We have amazing flatbread pizzas, big ass burritos, homemade dips and tacos!!! Everyone loves a TACO! We have live music on the weekends, DJ Bingo on Thursdays and plenty of outdoor seating. My goal was to provide this town with a cozy and comfortable tavern for anyone to enjoy. That is the most frequent praise I get is that when you walk in the door you feel “at home”.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

This one is easy! Covid. So when Covid hit on St. Patrick’s Day and we were forced to shutdown it was devastating. Imagine waking up and some politician tells you that they are telling you that you are not able to work & provide for your famliy with no end in sight. It was terrifying. I had make calls to employees saying that “you aren’t fired cause when things clear up we will be back”. Being forced to close forced me to make calls I never want to make. I was able to open sooner than some others similiar to me due to the kitchen but even then I was only able to sell food to-go. I had to work by myself for as but then was able get some of my staff back to help a bit. Lots of sleepless nights but God willing we got through it and 2021 was the best year I’ve had to date! It was like Shawshank Redemption, crawled through a mile of raw sewage only to come out clean on the other side!

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

So about 18 months in I was in a pivotal point for my tavern. This type of business usually fails in the first couple years due to various reasons. Some the fault of ownership, sometimes extenuating circumstances, sometimes just not the type of business needed for the area, etc…. I was doing okay at the time but the honeymoon period of the “new place in town” had long worn off and business was just okay. I will never forget after paying for some repairs, payroll and supplies for the weekend I had a whopping $365 in my business account. I remember thinking if I don’t have a great weekend then its over. Case closed, close the doors…Game Over. Thank God we had, at the time, the best weekend to date and business began to soar. It was amazing and a time that I will always be thankful for.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.firststreettavern.com
• Instagram: firststreettavern
• Facebook: First Street Tavern

Image Credits
Dave Schearer