Dear Friends,
Updated signage outside the venue! Can you see us now?!
We're excited to share some updates for the Fall, aimed at improving and optimizing Opolis to better serve our community. Since becoming cooperative owners in February 2023, we've been dedicated to continuing the Opolis legacy of hosting amazing shows and serving delicious vegan food. This place means a lot to us, and we can't picture Norman without it. Your ongoing support has been invaluable, fueling our passion through long weeks and countless hours of volunteer labor. It's your love for this space that keeps us going, especially in challenging times for small DIY venues and kitchens like ours.
Over the past year and a half, we've faced a significant learning curve. We're a group of townies, musicians, and creatives who never imagined we'd be running a music venue and vegan restaurant. We've made some mistakes, but we've been quick to learn and adapt. We've immersed ourselves in this endeavor, figuring out what works and what doesn't. Being a cooperative worker-owned business brings its own challenges, and has taught us the value of transparent communication. We are extending that transparency to you, our community, because it’s important that we involve you in not only our wins, but also our struggle. Your support in fundraising brought us here, and your continued backing will help propel Opolis into the future.
Classic Opolis food staples--Veggie Burger, Wingdings, and Frito Chili pie.
Our Vegan Kitchen is dear to us and many of you. We've always aimed to keep the kitchen vegan and maintain our beloved comfort recipes. However, managing a wide menu has led to food and labor waste. To address this, we're introducing a limited menu from Wednesday to Saturday, 7 PM to 11 PM, and a full brunch menu every Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM. Initially, these items will be available for in-person or call-in pickup only, but we're working towards offering DoorDash delivery and online pickup orders starting in September. We love brunch, bring your friends! We'll continue refining our brunch offerings, rotating classic Opolis recipes and new specials. If there's a dish you miss, let us know, and we might feature it at brunch!
We're also excited to introduce our Vegan Wholesale Menu, launching in September. This initiative allows us to offer bulk items like chili, queso, breads, veggie patties, and more. This way, we can provide our vegan goods to a broader audience, reduce food waste, and keep our kitchen growing. We’ll be reaching out to local kitchens, coffee shops, and grocery stores to stock Opolis vegan items, making it easier for you to enjoy our food at home and in new settings.
Our vegan pot pies will be making their return as part of our take and bake menu. Coming soon.
A preview of the studio inside the Opolis office.
In addition, we're thrilled to announce our studio services. We're providing studio recording sessions with our engineers, Laine and Sarah, as well as private lessons in various instruments from Eli, Laine, or Sarah. If you're interested, contact us through our studio page for a free consultation. As musicians ourselves, we understand the need for resources like studio space and practice rooms. We're excited to offer that to our music community. Whether you need a quiet place to record or a rehearsal space, we've got you covered. We're offering rehearsal space for bands on our full stage during closed hours and in the studio for smaller sessions.
Lastly, we're looking to expand our team and eventually our co-op. We're seeking individuals interested in becoming co-op members and worker-owners. The initial work would start as contract labor on an as-needed basis, primarily covering door shifts. If it's a good fit, we'll transition you to W2 employment and provide training in kitchen prep and bar shifts. After a year, employees have the option to become worker-owners. We're looking for people who can bring diverse knowledge and experience to strengthen our co-op. If you're interested or know someone who might be, please reach out. We'd love to hear from you!
That's all for now. We can't wait to see you at our upcoming shows. Thank you for your support and constructive feedback. We strive to always meet the needs of our patrons and keep Opolis working for the community for years to come.
-XOXOPOLIS