Help The Pandering Pig Keep The Lights On
Donation protected
Well, my friends, it has come to this. When the tragedy that is Covid-19 caused us to close our doors on 3/16, I felt sure that the same government that told us to do so would also come to our aid. I jumped right in, followed all of the rules, sent applications to both loan programs within the Cares Act and then waited. Here we are a full month later, 4/16 and we have not received the promised help. I had seen early on, many restaurants and other small business use this platform and others like it, but I have always felt weird asking others, friends and family for money as I know it is hard for so many of us and have never wanted to burden others or make people feel compelled to give. Sadly, however, this is where we find ourselves.
I opened The Pandering Pig in my beautiful little neighborhood in Northern Manhattan just shy of 4 1/2 years ago. We, my family, have poured our entire selves into it and have watched it grow and take hold. We have been blessed with accolades, new friendships, and through much laughter, sweat and tears have found success through the gratification of dedication and hard work.
It has never been easy and what you may have heard about the razor thin margins in this business are absolutely true. We were fortunate to receive a couple of small local grants which allowed us to keep payroll going for a few weeks and feed Con-Ed, but now we find ourselves trapped in an existential play, unwilling actors in a room with no exit, waiting, fretting, waiting...
The reality is it costs us just under $12,000 per month to keep the lights on - Rent, Con-Ed, liability insurance, worker's comp, disability and internet/phone water and taxes. Going into the second month of this to what looks like will be a full one and then the big question mark of when and how after that, has compelled me to reach out to you: Pig fans, friends, small business and unique restaurant supporters, angels.
We are also using this time to work on our product line - Fig & Olive Tapenade, brandied bing cherry gastrique and vegan broth will join our chicken bone broth for sale! This coupled with my newly applied for unemployment will hopefully keep us personally fed and sheltered.
This time on 'pause' has given a lot of room for reflection. I think about all of the meals I've created, the bustle and laughter I hear from the front house on a busy Friday night, the smiling faces going by my kitchen, the sweet praise, the patrons who have become friends. Yes, it's been hard work, but it has also been one of the most joyful experiences of my life. I cannot believe that it will be brought down by a scary predatory disease. I hope that the village created by the souls of those who love, create and support will help us to weather this storm and keep us afloat. We are asking for 3 months of 'keeping the lights on' as I'm sure if we can come back in June it will be a slow and cautious start. Thank you for any amount, my gratitude is bottomless.
I opened The Pandering Pig in my beautiful little neighborhood in Northern Manhattan just shy of 4 1/2 years ago. We, my family, have poured our entire selves into it and have watched it grow and take hold. We have been blessed with accolades, new friendships, and through much laughter, sweat and tears have found success through the gratification of dedication and hard work.
It has never been easy and what you may have heard about the razor thin margins in this business are absolutely true. We were fortunate to receive a couple of small local grants which allowed us to keep payroll going for a few weeks and feed Con-Ed, but now we find ourselves trapped in an existential play, unwilling actors in a room with no exit, waiting, fretting, waiting...
The reality is it costs us just under $12,000 per month to keep the lights on - Rent, Con-Ed, liability insurance, worker's comp, disability and internet/phone water and taxes. Going into the second month of this to what looks like will be a full one and then the big question mark of when and how after that, has compelled me to reach out to you: Pig fans, friends, small business and unique restaurant supporters, angels.
We are also using this time to work on our product line - Fig & Olive Tapenade, brandied bing cherry gastrique and vegan broth will join our chicken bone broth for sale! This coupled with my newly applied for unemployment will hopefully keep us personally fed and sheltered.
This time on 'pause' has given a lot of room for reflection. I think about all of the meals I've created, the bustle and laughter I hear from the front house on a busy Friday night, the smiling faces going by my kitchen, the sweet praise, the patrons who have become friends. Yes, it's been hard work, but it has also been one of the most joyful experiences of my life. I cannot believe that it will be brought down by a scary predatory disease. I hope that the village created by the souls of those who love, create and support will help us to weather this storm and keep us afloat. We are asking for 3 months of 'keeping the lights on' as I'm sure if we can come back in June it will be a slow and cautious start. Thank you for any amount, my gratitude is bottomless.
Organizer
Nicole OBrien
Organizer
New York, NY