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Lay and Jonckheere recently looked back on their first five years in their respective businesses and shared their most important challenges, insights and advice.

In commercial leases, you pay for everything

With a commercial lease, the business owner pays for everything in addition to the lease, Jonckheere said. That means you’re out of pocket for building improvements, utilities — and, perhaps most notably, the property tax.

“Our property taxes have nearly doubled in five years,” he said.

Lay said their property tax at Callister surged by nearly 45 per cent in the past five years. They just renegotiated their lease for a second five-year term and the rate climbed by 50 per cent. “It’s causing some grief,” he said.

Paying a premium to be part of the critical mass

Jonckheere and his partner opted for a building close to the action of the emerging East Van brewery cluster. That meant helping to create — and eventually benefit from — a critical mass of customers who could walk or bike from brewery to brewery. It also meant being close to suppliers, commercial customers, other brewers and their own homes.

If you run out of growlers or lids or a particular culture of yeast, it’s likely your neighbour can help you, he said. “We’re all in this together.”

Photo by Olga Zwart / Strange Fellows

See others as teammates, not competitors

Callister Brewing opened five years ago with a unique business model of including other start-up brewers at their site to help home brewers cut their teeth in commercial brewing. Callister welcomes a new brewer every July.