In Atlanta, one of the top cities in the nation for Black-owned businesses, the uneven effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been pronounced.
, is one of the top cities in the nation for Black-owned businesses, and the disparity has been pronounced. In the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Black-owned restaurants tell us they saw a 90 percent drop in business and were forced to lay off most of their employees. This was the case for many restaurants, but the difference for Black-owned restaurants is that their patron base, which is mostly Black people, suffered more losses during the pandemic.
In the meantime, she’s giving back to essential workers by feeding them dinner. The project started to feed the employees she had to lay off, and then expanded to healthcare workers. A customer called and offered to donate 150 meals; then, a local attorney and entrepreneur, Juanita Baranco, pledged to purchase 300 meals for healthcare workers every month. They now have an ongoing partnership with Grady Memorial Hospital where they deliver dinners a couple of days each week.
Like Twisted Soul, they also secured a PPP loan and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan to cover two months of rent and pay the employees that they had to lay off. Brown says there wasn’t anything left for them, but they had savings and help from family. Family has been the backbone of Apple Butter and Gilly Brew from the start. When they opened their two businesses—in 2013 and 2018, respectively—they did so with money from family and friends and the support of their church.
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