About the Owners:
Der Nachbar is co-owned by two families, Gert & Erin Blüschke and Eric & Laura Cannon. We are neighbors who met in the summer of 2020 when the world slowed down and long walks through the neighborhood were an everyday adventure (sometimes even twice a day). Each of our families have young children and we initially bonded over discussions about our similar experiences navigating parenthood during a global pandemic. At first, we would all just happen to run into each other on these neighborhood walks but as our friendship grew, we exchanged numbers and started to make solid plans to meet up in the early evening for “beverage walks.” With strollers, strider bikes, and small wagons in tow, our families spent a lot of time walking and talking together through the neighborhood. Along the way, we had the opportunity to meet and connect with many of our other neighbors who were also either out for walks or working in their yards. Even though the year 2020 was the height of isolation, uncertainty, and an overwhelming feeling that our world had been turned upside down, we were able to find the company, connection, and sense of community that we needed right within our own neighborhood.
Eric and Laura are both North Carolina natives. Their choice to ultimately land in Durham was an easy one, as they fell in love with all that the Bull City has to offer and knew it was the perfect place to raise a family. They have two young children that they love and adore, as well as a sweet dog named Hudson. Laura works as a school psychologist and Eric is an attorney (non-practicing), who currently works in the higher education/clinical research sector.
Erin grew up in Ohio, and Gert is from a small town in southern Germany. They met in 2006 when Gert’s family hosted Erin as part of a German-American student exchange program, and the rest is history! After nearly 4 years of long distance dating, excellent job opportunities brought Erin down from Ohio and Gert over from Germany to start a life together in Durham. Later another career opportunity moved them to Switzerland, but it took less than a year to realize Durham was home, so they packed up again and moved back. Now they have two little girls and a baby boy. Gert is a physician in the pharmaceutical world. Erin is a nurse in pediatric critical care. Transplants turned Durhamites, Gert and Erin are very happy to be a part of this local community. Working together on this startup has been a realized dream, and they are glad to have found the Cannons… the perfect business partners!