Apartment Lounge Pandemic Support
Donation protected
Wow 2020!!!!! I cannot even express the anger, frustration, and absolute disgust that I have for the current administration in the mishandling and initial cover up of the Covid-19 discovery just a year ago. The ramifications of this has caused America (every one of us) great pain and hardship, both personally and financially. The first stimulus to help small business did exactly the opposite and the LARGE corporations (which was not meant for them) got richer resulting in payments to the owners and shareholders when that money should have gone to TRUE small business. Most of us were DENIED on the first round because of that fact. As a business, The Apartment received a TOTAL of $23,100 from the SBA for its PPP Loan. YES, that amount is correct! We have been forced into closure by the State Government for most of 2020 with outside service for less than half of our customers and mandated closing at 11:30pm. This translates to us losing almost an ENTIRE year of PEAK business hours (11pm – 2am), which at capacity is 130 customers. Unfortunately, this has caused us to operate at a substantial loss this year. Let me be clear, I 100% SUPPORT Governor Whitmer’s actions and KNOW because of her actions, it has kept us safe. We know that our #aptloungefamily wants to be safe and we also want to keep you safe! Right now, gathering inside is not a great idea, no matter where you are. We plan on re-opening fully in April and are working with the city on some structure ideas they are willing to help with. We are grateful for the city’s support which has been amazing so far!
We need YOUR HELP to remain a small viable business. Speaking for all small business in Michigan, it has been too little and WAY TOO LATE! The Federal Government has been little to NO help and unfortunately that is the REALITY! The State has helped, but not enough and not fast enough! I feel they are stepping up, but it needs to be BOOSTED and QUICKLY! We have applied for EVERY financial option that has been presented by the government and most are out of $$ before our Application is even submitted. Borrowing money with NO REVENUE is impossible in the middle of a pandemic from any bank in the city.
I have LOST one business that I loved and had spent 30 years building because of Covid-19! I cannot allow The Apartment to suffer loss after loss. I made a promise to Milt on the morning he passed away. He told me he chose me for The Apartment. He knew I would ALWAYS make sure it was safe, continuing to give everyone a VOICE in our community, from Milt and Ed helping to start and fund the Red Project and Pride Center years ago, along with bringing the 1st Aids education to Grand Rapids. From our 1st Street Pride Event with the Children’s Museum and when they said NO Rainbow crosswalks We Got A RAINBOW ROAD, Art Events and MUCH More to come and there is MORE to be done and in 2021 we are TAKING it back! We have HOPE through Biden and Harris…sanity and an end to racism and hate!
We are really in need of HELP to make this happen and we are asking anyone that can, to PLEASE help us with the GO FUND ME page (link attached). It costs about $11,500 per month to operate The Apartment in a “closed state” with rent, utilities, taxes, insurance, security, snow removal, etc. (there is NO money included for me, personally) so what I am asking for (and I KNOW it’s a HUGE ask) is to try and raise $34,500.00 from our community. I am also asking for an additional $21,000.00 to assist the Apartment Lounge staff to make it through the pandemic closure, which looks like another 13 weeks at this point. This is a total of $55,500. This will help us make it financially through immediately, and if and when the PPP loan comes through, it will do what it is meant to do.
With this financial help from our community, we will still be allowed to offer POP UP Happy Hour etc. as we move forward while keeping our ENTIRE community safe! Your support will help us in moving toward an outside enclosure etc. I know it is a bad time for all and if you cannot support us financially maybe you know of a company that wants to adopt us. This is a great suggestion for any company wanting to help us maintain over 50 years of gay tradition, two generations of ownership and Bobby J’s 8th year of ownership.
WOW 8 Years! I am TRULY BLESSED! Thank you ALL!
Cheers!
We need YOUR HELP to remain a small viable business. Speaking for all small business in Michigan, it has been too little and WAY TOO LATE! The Federal Government has been little to NO help and unfortunately that is the REALITY! The State has helped, but not enough and not fast enough! I feel they are stepping up, but it needs to be BOOSTED and QUICKLY! We have applied for EVERY financial option that has been presented by the government and most are out of $$ before our Application is even submitted. Borrowing money with NO REVENUE is impossible in the middle of a pandemic from any bank in the city.
I have LOST one business that I loved and had spent 30 years building because of Covid-19! I cannot allow The Apartment to suffer loss after loss. I made a promise to Milt on the morning he passed away. He told me he chose me for The Apartment. He knew I would ALWAYS make sure it was safe, continuing to give everyone a VOICE in our community, from Milt and Ed helping to start and fund the Red Project and Pride Center years ago, along with bringing the 1st Aids education to Grand Rapids. From our 1st Street Pride Event with the Children’s Museum and when they said NO Rainbow crosswalks We Got A RAINBOW ROAD, Art Events and MUCH More to come and there is MORE to be done and in 2021 we are TAKING it back! We have HOPE through Biden and Harris…sanity and an end to racism and hate!
We are really in need of HELP to make this happen and we are asking anyone that can, to PLEASE help us with the GO FUND ME page (link attached). It costs about $11,500 per month to operate The Apartment in a “closed state” with rent, utilities, taxes, insurance, security, snow removal, etc. (there is NO money included for me, personally) so what I am asking for (and I KNOW it’s a HUGE ask) is to try and raise $34,500.00 from our community. I am also asking for an additional $21,000.00 to assist the Apartment Lounge staff to make it through the pandemic closure, which looks like another 13 weeks at this point. This is a total of $55,500. This will help us make it financially through immediately, and if and when the PPP loan comes through, it will do what it is meant to do.
With this financial help from our community, we will still be allowed to offer POP UP Happy Hour etc. as we move forward while keeping our ENTIRE community safe! Your support will help us in moving toward an outside enclosure etc. I know it is a bad time for all and if you cannot support us financially maybe you know of a company that wants to adopt us. This is a great suggestion for any company wanting to help us maintain over 50 years of gay tradition, two generations of ownership and Bobby J’s 8th year of ownership.
WOW 8 Years! I am TRULY BLESSED! Thank you ALL!
Cheers!
Organizer
Bob Johnson
Organizer
Grand Rapids, MI