Commerce North West launched its new after hours networking event “Business Brewery” at Arvo’s Tapas Bar last Thursday.
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As well as networking over drinks and tapas, chamber members heard from Commerce North West President, Travis Crowther the owner of Arvos Tapas Bar, Deb Howie.
Mr Crowther welcomed members to the chamber’s first business brewery said the aim was to help members network a bit more and showcase businesses in the chamber.
He also said Commerce North West Star had started to plan for this year’s Northern Outback Business Awards with nominations to be released in mid July and the event moving to the larger premises at Buchanan Park entertainment complex.
“Also Minex is almost finalised and that will be released very soon, though obviously that will not be until the end of May 2019,” Mr Crowther said.
“The mining industry is booming a bit so we are planning a lot of improvements and there is a lot more interest and we’ll have more space for exhibitors.”
He also mentioned the upcoming WorkPac Best Dressed Competition in Rodeo Week.
Mr Crowther then handed the floor to Deb Howie who spoke about how Arvo’s Tapas Bar became a reality earlier this year after a lot of hard work and 12-hour days.
”We opened on January 26 and it’s been a whirlwind for me,” Ms Howie said.
Ms Howie said she had long been involved in the hospitality industry having worked at the Race Club and the Golf Club and helped organise the Ronald McDonald Ball.
“I’ve been in town for 30 years and I’ve always wanted to have my own place,” she said.
“In the last couple of years I got bored and wanted to take something else on of a night time so I thought I’d open a bar.”
Ms Howie said it took a long time to get a liquor licence and she learned a lot in the process.
“It took a lot of phone calls and it eventually came back to Cloncurry, the ones I had to deal with, after speaking to Melbourne, Brisbane and Townsville,” she said.
Ms Howie said she wanted Arvos to be a quirky place where people could come and relax and “leave their problems at the door”.
“What I love about working here is that I’ve met someone new every night we’ve opened,” she said.
Arvos Tapas Bar is next door to Jays Real Estate on Camooweal St.