An online crowdfunding campaign is being conducted to secure investors for a new restaurant in Fairport Harbor Village.
The owners of Beach and Barrel are raising money through the Honeycomb Credit online platform. Honeycomb crowdfunding campaigns give businesses a chance to borrow money provided by fans and other interested investors. People who invest are eventually paid back with interest.
Beach and Barrel, which will be located at 208 Third St., is described as “a modern take on the mid-century tiki bar with an old Florida beach bar attitude,” according to an overview included in the Honeycomb investment offering for the business.
“Our immersive destination restaurant will transport our guests to a tropical holiday year-round with live music, amazing cuisine and a lush patio and beer garden in the summer months,” co-owners Rusty Phillips and Christopher Pinta stated in the overview.
Phillips and Pinta launched the Honeycomb campaign to generate funding for the interior buildout and to purchase equipment and furniture for their new restaurant.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Honeycomb to bring our vision to life,” Phillips said, in a news release.
Phillips also owns The Pompadour, an award-winning small-plates restaurant and craft cocktail bar at 320 High St. in Fairport Harbor. In addition, he serves as the eatery’s chef.
Beach and Barrel launched its Honeycomb crowdfunding campaign in late June. Phillips and Pinta set a goal of garnering a minimum of $50,000 and maximum of $124,000.
As of 12:30 p.m. July 15, $111,735 has been pledged by a total of 54 investors, according to Beach and Barrel’s online investment campaign dashboard. On that same date, the dashboard stated that there were 23 days left in the fundraising initiative.
Pinta, during a July 14 interview, said the response by investors has been impressive.
“We were pretty much shocked and overwhelmed at how fast it grew like this groundswell,” he said.
Pinta added that he’s confident about reaching the $124,000 goal.
“We’re just going to try to pick up the pace here and finish strong,” he said.
At the end of the investment offering, Honeycomb Credit will provide the money that’s contributed in the form of a loan for Beach and Barrel. The business will receive a five-year loan with an interest rate of 14 percent, according to its investment campaign dashboard.
Monthly repayments will be made by the restaurant, and proceeds will be disbursed by Honeycomb to investors on a quarterly basis.
Honeycomb gave examples of potential investment earnings for the offering. Amounts invested and full repayments are listed as:
• $100 investment; full repayment of $142
• $500 investment; $712 repayment
• $1,000 investment; $1,423 repayment
• $5,000 investment; $7,117 repayment
• $10,000 investment; $14,235 repayment
Honeycomb Credit, which is based in Pittsburgh, Pa., does charge fees to investors as well as businesses that conduct investment crowdfunding campaigns. Investments in Beach and Barrel can be made online by visiting its investment dashboard at honeycombcredit.com.
In the meantime, plenty of work is being done to renovate the inside of the restaurant. Pinta said the building’s electrical system has been upgraded; a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was installed; and plumbing is now being addressed.
Recent pictures on the restaurant’s Facebook page show that contractors have been building new interior walls and a bar; and plants have been put into place within a fenced-in outdoor patio.
Pinta said he’s hoping that Beach and Barrel will open in the next six to eight months.
“We’d preferably like to open it in a six-month time frame to be able to really get everything dialed in by spring or summer, especially before the vacationers and beachgoers arrive,” he said.
Originally Published: July 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM EDT