With bands like The Sheila Divine, Dear Leader, and Aaron and the Lord, Aaron Perrino has been serving up tasty indie rock for the past 25 years. Now his hunger for another creative outlet is taking over, as the musician has launched a Mainvest campaign to open an upscale brick-and-mortar sandwich shop in Salem. The place is called The Bohemian Club, and it’s billed as “an upscale takeout sandwich & salad shop inspired by the occult and dark arts.”
Perrino says he’s long wanted to open up his own eatery, and The Bohemian Club hopes to tap into Salem’s rich cultural history while also offering innovative culinary creations against a backdrop of music and art. Losing his job a few months ago was the catalyst to chase a dream, and he wanted to pivot away from his career as a creative ad and brand strategist to do something more fulfilling.
“2023 has been interesting,” Perrino writes. “I was laid off in the beginning of the year, and promised myself I wouldn’t settle for another unfulfilling corporate job. It’s definitely scary & so hard starting over, but I decided I need to follow my true path. For as long as I can remember I have been obsessed with cooking & food. Everyday I push myself to make something i’ve never tried before or to perfect a dish and make it my own. Like music, cooking for my family and friends allows me to share an idea, express my love and gratitude, and brings us all closer together.”
Recently, Perrino has been working on a wood fired pizza truck and moonlighting as a bartender.
“After so many years of talking about opening a restaurant I’ve decided I need to see if this is my true calling,” he adds. “I’ve come up with hundreds of concepts over the years, and have finally landed on ‘the one’. I have found a perfect location and am looking for some investment capital to make my dream come true.”
Perrino has linked up with Mainvest, the social investment platform that Allston venue Great Scott utilized in its continued search to find a new home. “It’s like a crowd-sourced loan that pays a percent of profits on top of your investment,” Perrino says.
The Bohemian Club’s Mainvest target is a fundraising goal of $75,000 by the end of June. According to the campaign, that would cover the purchase of an existing business ($50,000), various start-up costs ($19,937), and Mainvest compensation ($5,063). Hit the Mainvest link above for more info, as well as the shop’s financial forecasts, follow on Instagram @bohemianclubsalem, and check out a sample menu below.
