(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — It’s new, but is it really? Fairfield Hose Company was founded as a volunteer fire department in Harborcreek in 1945, and shortly thereafter it received a liquor license. It had a social club then. That club operated until it closed in 1999. Recently, the space served as a catering club.

Earlier this year, Fairfield Hose Company hired a consultant. The decision was crafted to re-open the social club. The department recently began soliciting memberships for it’s members-only social club, restaurant and bar.

According to Fairfield Hose Company President Jeffrey Hawryliw, the department set a 90-day goal of gathering 400 members. On Dec. 5, a mere 13 days into soliciting memberships, 380 people had signed up for memberships.

“We wanted just to see how receptive people would be to opening the club — it’s just beyond our belief and so amazing,” Hawryliw said.

The department is planning to hire staff to run the club, including a general manager, wait staff and bartenders. Optimistically, Hawryliw said the club could provide 40 jobs, but he said that estimate might be “a little high.”

The primary goal of the social club is to fund the volunteer fire department.

“Our main goal is to make it financially stable for the future, to fund the department, and to eventually hire a paid staff for our ambulance,” Hawryliw said. “The main focus now is getting more revenue in the door and potentially some new members.”

Fairfield Hose Company is located at 4896 East Lake Road in Harborcreek.

Four membership levels are offered for the social club: Presale, Silver, Gold and Platinum. A Presale membership is $25 and includes 1 year of membership and access to the grand opening party. Silver costs $75, is good for 3 years, gets a name on a founders plaque, and gets access to the grand opening party. Gold is $150 and gets a 5-year membership, name on the founders plaque, and access to the grand opening party. And Platinum is $300, good for a lifetime membership, and gets their name on the founders plaque, an invite to a private pre-opening party, access to the grand opening party, and a special founders mug.

Only 400 founders memberships will be sold. Once the limit is hit, the prices will go up. Members must be 21 years old.

The department hopes to open the club doors in 2023 — tentatively in April.

“We’re super excited about the entire situation — we have never anticipated the overwhelming support we’ve gotten so far. It’s super great,” Hawryliw said. “We’re happy about what has ended up transpiring so far, and we really look forward to providing this resource to Harborcreek Township, providing jobs, and opening the club this spring.”