Barstool Fundraising Small Businesses Seaford Story

This past year when COVID came to our doorsteps in March small business owners were required to shutter their doors in a widespread effort to flatten the curve. The right to work and to provide for ones self and family is something that cannot be replaced. The feeling people receive from the work they produce is even more sacred when they provide a service for others by taking the ultimate risk in starting their own business, which in return brings joy to peoples lives. Everyone anxiously awaited when they could open and operate their businesses under the new restrictions, although it wouldn’t the same they were willing to do anything to keep the hopes and dreams alive of their business. Reopening small businesses, mostly the restaurant and food industry became a state-by-state decision and unfortunately often times, divided along partisan lines. For example states like Texas, California, New York, and Florida all vastly differed in their approaches to reopening restaurants, all of which also had different political leaders at the helm of their state. In the Tri-State area and across the rest of the country restaurants had no choice, but turn to delivery and pickup service to survive from the start of Covid until around early June. In June they were allowed to set up minimal and socially distanced outdoor eating for the summer. Business owners had no choice, but to adapt to political leaders restrictions and that they did, by becoming creative with their outdoor seating area and maximizing their space in order to merely survive. It was not until September 30th in NYC, which they were able to begin indoor dining at 25% capacity albeit with an abundant of rules, and restrictions that would add another financial burden on their business. Again restaurant owners complied and were simply excited to add a little more revenue to already slim margins in which they operate their business. These efforts to show support and masquerade it as helping keep Covid at bay by our state and local officials have fallen on deaf ears and put hard working everyday American business owners in a dire financial position. It has forced them to look outside of their government where their hard earned tax dollars are expected to help them in times of need. Rather it has suddenly become those with money and wealth that have provided the most assistance to struggling small businesses. It is ironic that these very same people have recently been deemed a problem in America and devoid of all empathy for the common working folk by the media and by certain politicians. Most notably of those with money making a difference is David Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports. He has been a critic of the hefty restrictions and inconsistent decision- making by political leadership placed on the restaurant industry in NYC and across the country. In one of Portnoy’s most recent Instagram posts he criticizes the closure of indoor dining once again in NYC and was challenged by Marcus Lemonis, an American businessman and Television Personality to step up and donate his own money to help small businesses. Not only did Portnoy donate his own money he kick started a fundraising campaign with his massive Barstool following, which has now taken on a life of its own. Portnoy’s mission has been to nominate as many businesses to Barstools fundraising campaign in an effort to make a difference in these small business owners lives and help them with much needed financial relief. He chose to have small businesses

across the country share their story via Instagram explaining the history of their business and journey they’ve gone through to establish it, all while trying to keep their business afloat financially during Covid. The sharing of the stories has shown a raw emotional side of business owners, who are hanging on by a thread and thankful for someone with enough clout and money to give them the recognition they deserve. The most recent restaurant to be nominated to the Barstool fundraising campaign is, Bayview Tavern, located on the South shore of Long Island in Seaford, NY. Their story resonated with the Barstool fundraising initiative. Bayview Tavern has been in business for over 30 years serving a community of police officers, firefighters, nurses, teachers and other hardworking public servants. This restaurant has brought happiness to the community through good times and bad such as 9/11 where it served as a gathering spot for locals to share their grief and stories. COVID has adversely impacted their business at a time when the community needs their local restaurant to act as an escape due to the monotony the virus has brought into peoples lives. The opportunity afforded to Bayview Tavern to share their compelling story to Barstool and to a large audience has made them another small business nominated to Barstools extremely successful fundraising campaign that continues to raise millions of dollars to those who need it most. Bayview Tavern is just another example where successful entrepreneurs like Dave Portnoy have been able to pick up the slack and provide assistance to small business when local politicians have failed to do so at every level.