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Dirty Franks Family

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On March 16th like every other bar we closed at 5pm and  we went from believing we were gonna be closed for 2weeks to not knowing when wev would ever be able to safely open our doors again.

We reached out to our community in March to help us sustain the lives that make the institution that we lovingly know as Dirty Franks and with everyones generous donations we raised a little over $13,000, which helped the staff to squeak by a bit. The virtual tip jar that we set up with our Friday night Zooms was helpful but really it just reminded us how much we missed one another.

On July 8th, we received our cafe license and was able to reopen for sidewalk cocktails. Who knew it would take a pandemic to make drinking outside of Franks, legal? Right?!

Can you imagine if Jay McConnell was still with us? According to him the saddest two weeks of his life was in 1969, when for the first time that Dirty Franks was closed, for serving minors. If he were alive today, I can only imagine the depth of his despair….We miss you Jay.

I spoke with Sheila, she is well and sends hugs to everyone! She gave me the much needed pep talk as she is so talented at doing and reminded me that I promised Jay, to make sure “Franks stays Franks” so I continue…We applied for every grant applicable to us. We were lucky and got the PPP but at the end of the day that only got us caught up on some bills and paid a couple months of rent(we were closed for 5months!).

We applied for the Small Business Grant and are still waiting for the determination. There is no real reason to get political but damn that second stimulus package could’ve really helped and unfortunately as I type this we are still a month behind in rent.

It’s been absolutely wonderful to reinvent the corner of 13th & Pine.  We hung lights, got tiny tables, folding chairs, hung plexi, made an outdoor service bar door for ordering cocktails, got all of our PPE in order and ready to go.....We were eager to safely get the institution open and slowly we started to see everyone again. Most of the regulars know that I became a pain in the arse life guard in a sandbox, making sure that we were following the cdc recommendations, wear a mask when standing, standing 6 feet apart from everyone when ordering and sanitizing sanitizing sanitizing..contact tracing don’t forget about that!…some customers even complimented us on our level of keeping everyone safe…Fortunately all that effort on everyones part truly attempts to keeps everyone safe but unfortunately the 25% allowed barely covers our operating costs. 

2020 has been absolute out of control tire fire meets a shark-nado for mostly everyone and the realization is that we will have to continue to attempt to bare bones reinvent our outside existence as long as mother nature will allow it and without any governmental support well through 2021

When relaying my hesitations of leaning on our community once again for help, Sarah reminded me of all the memorable traditions that we’ve already lost and will lose going into 2021...
St. Patricks Day, when all of our regulars are piled into the bar attempting to avoid all the drunkin' green people.. Our Tuesdays with the OEDL leagues..The fabulous Kenny Cook chili cook off..Easter eggmaking with Heather and her Mom’s to-die for cooking..Our Too dirty softball team.. The Kick Ass Annual Picnic at Lemon Hill..Pumpkin carving and Halloween Party..Hand turkeys.. Snow flake making and the unforgettable Annual Christmas party.. Celebrating New Years Eve and New Years Day with the Mummers!...and after going through the calendar, she's right! that's a lot of loss on so many levels for so many people

So that being said, we don’t wanna ever close our doors but at a certain point no matter whether it is Wolf, Farley, Kenney or Old Man Winter.. it will be eventually impossible for us to stay open...So with a heavy heart I reach out once again to the community that considers Dirty Franks a home, an escape or your dive... we need your help to keep us paying our rent, bills and support our staff as we head into the unknown. Our goal is to survive long enough that we will see you once again sitting on the other side of the bar …Any donation of Any amount will be forever appreciated❤️

XOXO

All of Us from Dirty Franks

Fundraising team: Dirty Franks Family (4)

Jody Sweitzer
Organizer
Raised $4,768 from 81 donations
Philadelphia, PA
Patty Rogalski
Team member
Raised $1,145 from 11 donations
Sarah Eisenstein
Team member
Raised $915 from 14 donations
Abigail Willenborg
Team member
Raised $625 from 10 donations

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