insights into starting a business (and a bar!) in estonia

Experienced pub entrepreneur and storyteller Mike Perdue co-launched popular watering hole AFTRWRK in Ülemiste City, Tallinn in 2022.

The trail to faraway lands to start a company seems alluring. Remotely or in conjunction with setting up sticks, either path for those perhaps “past their prime” in the age game can appear daunting.

Our foray into Estonia came as a fallout result of the pandemic, selling one bar in a neighboring country and acquiring another in the startup community of Ülemiste City.

Ülemiste City, is a funky Tallinn suburb with a mix of gleaming glass towers, rugged limestone warehouses and vestiges of occupation-period workshops as seen in bold soviet-era exhortations such as “Glory to Labor!”

Think of it as more or less the Silicon Valley of the North, home to several unicorns as well as a host of banking, telecom, engineering and other firms all in a neat and tidy arena of well-kept surroundings. Throw in Tallinn Airport literally next door and you’ve got yourselves an urban “hub.” Tram, bus lines, bike lanes, or taxi make “Central Tallinn” a maximum 20 minutes away.

Our resultant emigration from familiar surroundings tested the “get it right, right now” necessity. “Lights, Cameras, Action! “...a far cry from our previous setting, Ülemiste City boasts an exciting campus with a captive audience and the now year-long experience of running the nascent AFTRWRK Bar has been unique to say the least.

An Afterwork Retreat

AFTRWRK Bar functions for the Ülemiste community by offering a civilized retreat for an out-of-office meet-up, corporate events, team building, and a good old-fashioned place to relax.

Intended originally to support a potential 13,000 office workers, the dreaded pandemic put paid to that concept.

Regardless of the total sum of daily office attendees, the bar has seemingly hit its stride.

From the get-go it was apparent we depended heavily on corporate bookings. Pre-existing contacts proved invaluable and from time to time we filled the bar. On the other hand, as this region of the world lacks an “Afterwork” pub culture, filling seats on any given night proved elusive for a time.

Tastings, “Tap Takeovers” and Targeted Events

Social media outreach had only minimal impact, the followers just weren’t there. The only thing to do was create events, anything to draw people back in.

Inheriting a monthly standup comedy series got us some traction, finding a willing quiz-host on a weekly basis also began to bring people from farther afield as well.  Outdoor grilling when weather permitted increased the visibility. As the space does not permit a kitchen, AFTRWRK has invited guest caterers to share their specials with our audience.

The clientele who I would consider at least casual regulars appreciate the rather outside-the-box lineup of wines from Georgia. AFTRWRK has played host to 2 different Georgian winemakers with more to follow.

Relentless activity be it Ukrainian beer events, our Grand Opening DJ splash or taking the St. Paddy’s Day tradition and “owning” it…these types of endeavors create the buzz.

A recent case in point being a Tap Takeover (all taps from one brewery) that attracted a nice cadre of beer-centrics.

An added perk is that AFTRWRK sports 2 dartboards. Darts and pints have been enjoyed until the wee hours, a subtle hint that simple pleasures can be the main attraction!

Oyster tastings, a cinema series, a rotating art gallery setting and market are just some of what was or is in the offing for the near future.

A “Prime” Vintage with a Youthful Drive

So, how’s an old-timer like me (born late ’58!) supposed to keep up with this? A good question and perhaps even more poignant when considering that navigating foreign business / company formation isn’t always my cup of tea.

My answers are: (1) a yearning to create, (2) a supportive group of co-owners, (3) a lot of autonomy (I CRAVE independence!) and (4) working and interacting with people younger than me.

Having been a part of the drinks/service industry beginning in 2009 in the USA, that provided the spark needed to pursue the craft beer renaissance upon first moving to the Baltic region in 2014.

Tips and Takeaways: Finding Market Fit

To sum up this quick dive into the Estonian business world, while not 100% seamless, it has proven thus far conducive to future longevity. The Ülemiste City community itself has both positives and negatives, the latter being a lack of residential buildings, and thus permanent residents. Indeed it hampers walk-in business as does a neighboring lack of supporting retailers.

Those hurdles aside, the focus for us is squarely on creating a destination for the whole of the metro area.

Given the perception of Ülemiste City as mainly an office district, challenges abound in attracting a Tallinn-wide audience. However, these hurdles are not insurmountable, not at all!

AFTRWRK embraces the pioneering “point of the spear” attitude where our very uniqueness and diverse backgrounds set us apart...and we see it beginning to pay off!

Editor's Note: Mike is not only the publican of AFTRWRK; he's also become a great friend to the e-⁠Residency team. Mike has helped AFTRWRK fast become the go-to place for a post-work beverage for public and private sector workers in the vibrant business district of Ülemiste City. Make a visit to AFTRWRK next time you're in Tallinn, and you'll most likely meet at least one member of the e-⁠Residency team, as we consider it a place to meet new friends, relax and unwind after long days of work.