FREEPORT (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- We've heard a lot in recent years about efforts to hire veterans.
But there's another trend brewing: veterans becoming small business owners. Just ask Brad Nadeau, whose brewery will open as soon as construction wraps up.
It has been 15 years since Brad Nadeau returned from serving in Iraq and started the job search. He knew he wanted to have his own business, specifically a brewery. Only problem: He knew nothing about brewing beer. He says with a little help from “YouTube University” he got started. And he’s come a long way since brewing batches in the garage. Now he and his wife Nancy are getting ready to open Stars and Stripes Brewing in Freeport.
“It’s going to be a hub for veterans to you know just come and meet a new friend share their stories basically have a better day,” said Nancy Nadeau.
Word got out about the plans when they launched a Kickstarter campaign over the winter. It was a success, thanks to every name printed on a giant dog tag, which they plan to use as decoration in the tap room.
Even though the online crowdfunding campaign is long over, help from the community keeps pouring in.
“People stop by daily I mean will have five or six people stop by and one day," said Brad Nadeau.
“People even joke 'even if your beer is not good I’m gonna be there every day,'" added Nancy Nadeau.
Brad Nadeau is one of more than 2.5 million veterans who own a business, representing more than 9% of all firms in the U.S. The data, from the U.S. Small Business Association also show veteran owned firms employ more than 5 million people. In Maine, there are nearly 16,000 businesses owned by veterans.
Nadeau hopes to hire veterans, like him.
“That’s our backbone,” he said.
It’s the Nadeau family's mission to eventually support military veterans in a greater capacity by donating a percentage of proceeds to local veteran organizations.
“We want to give back in anyway we can to thank them for what they’ve done,” he said.
Nadeau is hoping to be open by October.