The Virginia-Highland Civic Association (VHCA) Thursday launched what could be the first neighborhood-wide GoFundMe initiative in Atlanta. The organization is looking to raise $100,000 to be split evenly among 50 businesses (listed below) as the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to impact brick-and-mortars, and a second round of financial support from Washington seems more and more unlikely.
A rep for GoFundMe told What Now Atlanta the “Virginia-Highland Civic Association is certainly a stand-out” in terms of the number of businesses it is supporting via a single campaign, but that campaigns like the Black-Owned Business Relief Fund and the Adair Park Housing Relief Fund also sought to raise money for many people and businesses.
Chase Johnson is leading the crowdfunding effort on behalf of the VHCA, writing it’s an opportunity for the organization to support the very same businesses that have supported the community over the years. “They have raised money for our schools through dine-outs, to restore our fire station through road races and visits with Santa and sponsored our security patrol,” Johnson wrote. “They have pitched in on neighborhood cleanups and beautification projects, never asking for anything in return.”
“A vibrant business district is one reason we all live in Virginia-Highland,” Johnson wrote. “It is why people have been flocking here from all over metro-Atlanta for decades. That is all at risk.”
Below are the businesses that this money will be split evenly among:
- ACE Intown Hardware
- Ampersand Branding Co.
- Atkins Park Tavern
- Atlanta Pro Bikes
- Bar.bacoa
- Blind Willie’s Blues Bar
- Cachee
- Callie’s Hot Lil Biscuits
- Dakota J’s
- Dark Horse Tavern
- DBA Barbecue
- Diesel Filling Station
- DTox Juice
- Empire South
- Fontaine’s Oyster Bar
- George’s Bar & Restaurant
- Helmet Hairworx
- Highland Eye Boutique
- Highland Pet Supply
- Highland Tap
- Highland Woodworking
- Highland Yoga
- Knock Music House
- La Tavola
- Limerick Junction
- Little Barn Apothecary
- Mali Restaurant
- Marco’s Pizza
- Moe’s & Joe’s Tavern
- Murphy’s Restaurant
- Neighbor’s Pub
- Ocean Wave
- Osteria 832 Pizza & Pasta
- Paolo’s Gelato
- Pink Barre
- Press & Grind
- San Francisco Coffee Roasting
- Sugarcoat Nails
- Suite Bridal
- Surin of Thailand
- Suzy Q Nails
- Sweet Peach Waxing
- Taco Mac
- The Original El Taco
- The Warren City Club
- Threadz
- Truva Turkish Kitchen
- Tuscany at Your Table
- Urban Cottage Inc.
- Urban Evolution Salon
“A vaccine is on the way, but these businesses need help right now to hang on for just a few more months,” Johnson wrote. “That is why the VHCA and other community leaders are asking our neighbors to support them during this time. We are raising money to go directly to the businesses in the neighborhood. Many of us are struggling as COVID-19 has changed everything that is familiar. Please donate now so that we don’t lose the wonderful businesses and friends who operate them too.”
The VHCA’s GoFundMe launch arrives on the heels of two recent campaigns for Atlanta institutions The Colonnade and Manuel’s Tavern. So far, both fundraisers have been wildly succesfful.
12 Responses
94 years, really???
These restaurants, like Manuel’s, that owned their own building, and have been making bank for eons– Don’t get my sympathy.
I have a cafe tenant who has been in business for five years.
From a business standpoint, he knew when, and how, to pivot.
He’s doing just fine at the moment.
I.P. Just for your information the owners of The Collanade don’t own the building. I can’t believe you would make a statement you really know nothing about. Nobody is asking for your sympathy.
Oh well…
No sympathy here.
Once again just like Manuel’s we have a restaurant who:
Stayed completely closed for months instead of adapting
Has a majority aging/compromised clientele
Did not pivot business operations or pivot to take out only
Zero sympathy from me. Why should I support their bad choices?
I would love to give the Colonnade my business to keep them going but as many of us struggle, a meat & 3 has gone up to $20 there before tax, tip, etc. Cheshire Bridge already lost the Red Snapper last week but the prices have escalated compared to what the Colonnade has been. Smaller portions, adjust prices to get customers back.
I agree with the other posters, I have no sympathy for these businesses that didn’t get creative. My neighbor has a small restaurant that’s been in business 25 years. She quickly figured out how to pivot with ideas like weekly meal “kits”, curbside pickup, she added shades to her patio in the summer and heaters for the cooler months, and sold 36 Turkey dinners for Thanksgiving. She is on track to have a great year financially, despite the pandemic. I’ll also add, she did all this zero rent relief from her land lord, North American Properties, as they would not accommodate any tenants in her center and a modest PPP loan she hopes to repay in the first quarter of 2021.
Great to hear a success story for a change!
I’ve enjoyed a few great meals at Colonnade and hope they survive.
People saying screw them for not making an agile pandemic pivot is pretty d*ckish.
Meh, I’ve been called worse.
And I’m certainly not calling for anyone’s failure– and maybe I have GoFundMe fatigue.
I’ve watched several businesses that have pivoted, twisted, and turned just to stay in business
during this challenging time. And they’ve done so without passing the virtual hat around.
I would think that these two Atlanta ‘institutions’ would have the resources/insight/connections/equity to figure this out without asking for a bailout from their patrons.
I can also understand the importance of community, as Letmesaythis points out.
I think the GoFundMe for iconic Atlanta restaurants speaks to maintaining a sense of ‘community’ and the ‘built environment.’ If Krystal’s on Piedmont road did a GoFundMe to save the business, I do not believe I would sense the same level of community as I do from The Colonnade or Manuel’s. I believe the GoFundMe’s are warranted from the big picture point of view.
I donated. I have too many memories over too many years not to chip in to (hopefully) see them make it through this.