In Pigalle district, Paris, a beer bar called Le Bar Fondamental (a name underlying the owners’ desire to offer a “concept” …) recently opened. Its principle is likely to inspire many other businesses. Le Bar Fondamental claims to be hand-crafted, fun and participative. The goal is set.

The venue includes four activities in a green roof and barrel bar setting. A bar, of course, serving “historic” beers, limited edition craft beers and even a “surprise” beer. Then, a micro-brewery brewing the latter and hosting every Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon workshops aimed at introducing the art of brewing. Each participant leaves the place with fifteen homemade liters. This means that some are having their beers right next to those who are brewing them. In addition, a beer cellar wisely completes the offer and sells many different bottles and cans. Usually, new bars are focusing on creating a friendly atmosphere because they need to build up their reputation and consequently their success. By adding a sales point and an educational area to stage the place’s uniqueness, Le Bar Fondamental moves forward with a new ambition: being seen as a system.

The bar’s friendliness stimulates sharing and dissemination of a culture which will then feed and stir up consumption. What matters is no longer having just a good time, but the sense of belonging to a community. That could be relevant to many businesses, too focused on selling while their customers are expecting culture and recognition. We’re not talking of individual recognition as announced by the data prophets dreaming with hyper personalized communication. We’re talking of recognition as a member of a community set around a passion.

Brands shouldn’t neglect this sense of community because it checks many boxes: it builds loyalty, feeds curiosity, makes consumers want to come back and stimulates the desire to buy. The answer to real world businesses’ current hard time…