While Hive Coffee Company in downtown Suttons Bay is known for its tasty hand-crafted lattes, sandwiches, and waffles, it’s also the gathering place for its “social club” events typically held from 6 to 8 p.m. when scheduled.
Hive owners Landon and Nicole McDaid put on their first social club in March, serving as an event for people to socialize with others in the community while trying unique, non-alcoholic drinks. The zero-proof cocktails utilize locally made, natural ingredient mix combinations from businesses like Audacia Elixirs.
“I think people are excited. For the Cinco De Mayo (social club event) one, an entire bachelorette party heard about it and came because they aren’t drinkers,” Landon said. “So they were in the area and they came in and they really enjoyed themselves… Being Leelanau county, it (nonalcoholic drinks) can be kind of limiting.”
Ultimately, the social club concept allows for Hive to break away from the prevalent drinking culture in the area, and aims to give people the chance to focus on mental, physical, and emotional health in a friendly and casual setting. The event series aligns with the McDaids’ mission as a business, which is to not only ensure that every guest feels welcomed and at home in their space, but also to create ways to give back locally and globally.
“Everything you find at Hive is done with purpose, from the decor to even our bookshelves, there’s a reason behind pretty much everything we do, and we like to carry that out through our events as well,” Landon said.
The first event was honey-bee themed as the McDaids’ partnered with the Michigan Beekeeping Association to make a donation with a portion of the proceeds they made. The second event was Cinco De Mayo themed, and Hive partnered with fellow Suttons Bay business Wild Lettie as well as the “Spark in the Dark” nonprofit based in Traverse City. A portion of the Cinco De Mayo proceeds were donated to Spark in the Dark, which serves as a safe platform to connect those in need with those who could help. The theme for the third social club is still being decided, but will aim to help bring awareness to other causes that align with Hive.
Within the two hour event, people do everything from listen to good music and mingle to answering a trivia question based around the theme or cause Hive is supporting. The next social club will most likely be held in August, but interested people can check out the business Facebook page for any updates and more information.
