A Toronto women is providing an opportunity to aspiring restaurateurs at a small price; a $150 raffle ticket.
Ruthie Cummings is owner of Das Gasthaus, located near Broadview and Danforth avenues. She’s put years of hard work and savings into her restaurant.
However, she has had to put her dreams on hold to care of her elderly parents. But, instead of selling the business or passing it on to a fellow employee, she has decided to raffle it.
“I really wanted to make this an opportunity for someone. I decided to do it this way because it makes it accessible for everybody, instead of just a few”, Cummings said.
The contest has an entry capacity of 4,000. Aspiring participants can send cheques or money orders to pay for their ticket. Cummings will also accept a handwritten essays of no less than 500 words answering the question, “How can the quality of care for seniors be improved in Canada?”.
The funds raised will go to making sure the space is in top shape and all outstanding debt is cleared. This way, the new owner will inherit the restaurant with no hassle.
“I opened this restaurant with the hope that this would be my ‘forever restaurant’,” she said, in a statement on her website.
“I’m selling the restaurant not because I want to, but because I have to.”
Cummings says her parents are starting to age. She intends to move in with them so they won’t have to live in a care facility. While her dreams are on hold, she looks forward to passing the torch to someone new.
The draw will take place on the first of December, and the new owner will take over the restaurant the following day.