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The word \\u201ccommunity\\u201d is often overused in our industry. There\\u2019s our local community, the communities we\\u2019ve created around ourselves on our favorite social media platforms, or the craft beer community as a whole. But, these days, the more I hear the word, the less meaning I find in it. Are we actually\\xa0choosing\\xa0to connect, or do we simply happen to be in the same place at the same time?

Lucy Do found herself asking that same question earlier this year.

The purpose of Lucy\\u2019s business is\\u2014in her own words\\u2014\\u201ccommunity and human connection.\\u201d And she provided that in spades at her West London micropub, The Dodo. She beams as she recalls a typical Friday night at The Dodo, poetically describing the sense of electricity in the air as conversation bubbled, cask beers were consumed, and new friendships formed.

But when COVID-19 forced her to close her doors back in March, she wondered if the community she\\u2019d built would survive without her venue as its hub.

From her initial panic in March, Lucy talks us through how she redesigned the business by creating opportunities anywhere and everywhere\\u2014from offering takeaway and local delivery of cask beer to designing at-home beer-and-food pairing kits, launching her own gin brand, and even working with the local council to open a pop-up in a large outdoor venue nearby.

Beyond the visible changes to the business as a result of the pandemic, you\\u2019ll also hear Lucy discuss the struggles that are less visible: her concerns for staff and customer safety, the challenge of navigating her team through such uncertainty, and above all, the mental health impact of these last few months.

Ever open and honest, Lucy\\u2019s desire to create meaningful connections with others has kept her going through these trying times. And, as you\\u2019ll hear, her community is stronger than ever.