New Ways the Bar Industry is Raising Funds for Unemployed Staffers
courtesy Misty Kalkofen
These are fun and easy ways to help at a time that is neither fun nor easy
“I own bars and it’s devastating to say that you can’t keep the bar going with business as normal,” says Greg Boehm, founder and CEO of professional barware company, Cocktail Kingdom. He is also co-owner of several bars that have had to close because of Covid-19 the pandemic, including Katana Kitten, Boilermaker, the Cabinet, Mace, and Existing Conditions in New York City. Boehm echoes the sentiments of many in the bar industry who are being deeply affected by new coronavirus. Since March, many bars and restaurants across the country have had to temporarily – if not permanently – shut their doors to the community that’s helped build them. How can we all aid in the recovery of the bar community? Individuals such as Boehm are finding ways to raise both funds and morale for those affected the most: the staff up front and behind the scenes.
Buy a t-shirt
Leyenda t-shirt, courtesy Cocktail Kingdom
Seeking a way to support the bar industry in these tumultuous times, Boehm launched a branded bar t-shirt fundraising campaign on CocktailKingdom.com that raises funds for a number of bars across the US, not just the ones in the Cocktail King(dom) he co-owns. Boehm states, “The bar business is not the most lucrative. If somebody got into it to make a lot of money, they got in the wrong business. You do it because you like people. It’s a difficult time for people, so I’m hoping the t-shirt fundraiser offers a little support.” The bars, such as the one for Amor y Amargo designed by Natalie Czech, used their own in-house art talent to design the tees. 100% of the proceeds from the t-shirts purchased go directly to the individual bar and their staff. Boehm adds, “Our sales are way down, but we were trying to think, ‘What can we do using what we’re good at?’ I started the [fundraiser] with the idea of not having an ultimate goal in mind, but one thing is creating a sense of community among the bars we’re working with. I really hope to keep the bars in customers’ minds, so when all these bars are ready to open up again, these customers will be thinking of them and bring their business back.”
Hear some music, and don’t forget to leave a charitably-targeted tip
Committed to bringing people together through music, community, and crafted cocktails are Boulder, Colorado-based husband and wife team Lauren and John Maggio, founders of Cocktail Squad canned cocktail brand. “Music has always been the core of our brand. Sure, we’re a canned cocktail company and a small business, but we’re a community. We’re not about the alcohol. We’re about bring people together to enjoy experiences together over a great cocktail,” Lauren says. Building on the spirit of community and their love of music (Lauren gets it honestly from growing up in birthplace of jazz, New Orleans), the couple launched Squad Sessions, weekly music sets by local artists released three nights a week via YouTube. In place of a tip jar, Cocktail Squad encourages donations to frontline causes they’re supporting such as Feed the Frontlines Boulder, USBG National Charity Foundation Covid-19 Emergency Assistance Fund, and The Jazz & Heritage Relief Fund. None of the donations go to Cocktail Squad. All funds are funneled directly to the aforementioned charities. “We hope that it empowers our community to affect positivity and contribute to local causes. It doesn’t have to be the [charities] we lay out. We’re just trying to bring awareness to helping the small businesses in your community,” Lauren says.
Tune in to a podcast
Lauren and John Maggio of Cocktail Squad in Boulder, CO
While fundraising plays a significant facet in countering the economic blow of the COVID-19 crisis, Kirsten "Kitty" Amann and Misty Kalkofen of the Drinking Like Ladies podcast (which is also the title of a book they co-authored about strong women throughout history, paired with matching cocktail recipes contributed by female bartenders around the world) are focusing on practical ways the industry can cope mentally. Kalkofen says, “Kitty and I really wanted to do something to help our friends and colleagues, but our hands were tied in many ways. Neither one of us have the financial means to make a significant impact in our communities. We are safely social distancing, which limits the hands-on assistance we can provide.” It’s particularly commendable to note that despite dealing with the financial and emotional repercussions from coronavirus themselves, Amann and Kalkofen are keenly focused on building up their peers.
“We are looking at the effects of the pandemic from every angle, from financial to emotional to political and everything in between. So, we shifted our focus, at least for the time being, to interviewing professionals of any gender from many disciplines and industries who can offer actionable advice for our listeners who are facing this collective trauma,” Kalkofen adds.
courtesy Kitty Amann
When the podcast was created, it was intended to highlight women from various backgrounds that are accomplishing amazing things. However, because of the fallout from the pandemic, they have shifted focus a bit, at least for now. Their first two interviews addressing the crisis were with Sean Finter, founder of the hospitality services and coaching business Barmetrix, and Bobby Heugel who is a well-known owner of several Houston-based establishments including, Anvil Bar & Refuge. Both Finter and Heugel share solid advice for owners navigating this pandemic, which the ladies hope people listen to if they’re feeling lost, stuck, or confused about next steps. Additionally, they hosted Healthy Pour founder Laura Green, who is an exceptional counselor and therapist with a hospitality industry background.
Purchase bottled cocktails for charity, created by restaurant bar professionals
Another initiative is The Restaurant Project, spearheaded by alcohol brand HAUS. The effort consists of the co-creation of new apéritifs in partnership with restaurants and chefs such as Santa Monica, California-based Élephante, Andrew Tarlow's The Marlow Collective restaurants in Brooklyn, and Nina Compton's Compère Lapin in New Orleans, just to name a few. All profits go directly to the restaurants. Helena Price Hambrecht, co-founder and co-CEO of HAUS says, “We thought about a few things: the places that our team and our customers spend time geographically, the restaurants that feel like institutions in their city, and the chefs that have broad communities that are desperate to support them. These are all restaurants we love and chefs that we admire.” HAUS pays its partners weekly and plans to keep this project going for as long as restaurants are affected by the pandemic. Hambrecht adds, “Our goal is to help restaurants generate revenue in a sustainable way while they're impacted by COVID.”
courtesy HAUS
Following in the footsteps of Amann and Kalkofen, you can assist the industry outside of charitable donations. Amann says, “Generally, advocating for the industry is what our best regulars need to help us do. You go to these bars and restaurants because you connect with them on an emotional level, and valuing that as the industry struggles to rebuild is paramount. Many industries will struggle to rebuild once this is all over, and while the hospitality industry is known for its resilience, advocating on its behalf is going to be crucial if you want to see your favorite businesses survive.”
Other resources:
Art Beyond the Glass, which began as a Los Angeles arts-based non-profit within the bartending community has now pivoted its efforts to support out of work bartenders. Find out more here.
Takeout Covid is a regional guide for ordering takeout from local bars and restaurants to continue supporting them. See it here.
Outlook Good is a hospitality venture from sustainability activist Claire Sprouse, owner of Brooklyn Bar Hunky Dory. 100% of sales of the book Optimistic Cocktails, with low waste cocktail recipes from top bartenders across the community, benefits hospitality workers. Click here to order, and for more information.
As previously reported, the Hospitality Relief Dashboard is a one-stop source for all of the latest information about Covid-19 related causes, and a regional guide about where to donate.