Help Bert's Stadium Sports Bar
Donation protected
Dear family, friends, and local community,
My name is Brooke and I am writing this on behalf of my mother. My mom is the most hard-working, driven, and inspirational business woman I’ve ever met. Today we are all living in what some might call a twilight zone. This pandemic has been tragic for many families and communities that rely on their small businesses, that have thrived for years off of love and hard-work. For most small business owners their livelihood is a reflection of their blood, sweat, and tears. With the goal to keep the numbers down, and flatten the curve of COVID, the health department, and government, have created guidelines to be followed. We want everyone to be safe and healthy, but we also need to survive! Please help us at Bert’s Stadium Sports Bar get through this.
I want to elaborate to those who don’t know us. This isn’t just a “bar”. We are not just a cliché, stereotypical, negative connotation “bar”. This is a dream, a place of history (est. in the 1940’s) and a family’s major source of income. I want to raise money to help my mom keep her bar open during the shutdowns. She’s on the brink of losing it, and is now tapping into her reserve.
My mother has a heart of gold. She didn’t even want me to do this because of her pride. I told her it was okay to ask for help because she has given so much to so many. She opened her first little dive bar in Mountain View in 2007. It was called Bert’s Alibi. People of all varieties would gather for all kinds of occasions. Some came everyday, some never even touched a drop of alcohol; they came for company, friendship, maybe even a simple game of pool or darts. Others sat and did crossword puzzles while drinking coffee. The local community of veterans would come in the early mornings. They would come bearing baked treats from their wives, and stories of their service. The sun would shine through the door, the stools would swivel and squeak, the jokes and stories would fill the room. People of all ages, classes, colors, beliefs, and more, came to celebrate. Some celebrated birthdays, promotions, engagements, and sometimes beautiful lives lost.
My mom, Bert, is a staple for her community. She is always giving. Even if she doesn’t know someone well, she extends her hand to pull them up from rock bottom. She has even helped some of her regulars with personal endeavors. During the holidays my mom puts her heart into a beautiful meal that she offers to her customers for free. For some, Christmas dinner at the Alibi, and now the Stadium, are the closest thing some of her people have to a family. Unfortunately, in 2018 she was forced to close her doors to the Alibi because the owner sold the land to a big corporation, but that didn’t stop her.
With the support of her family and community, in 2015 she became the new owner of Bert’s Stadium Sports Bar— previously known as The Blue Bonnet — a bar that has been open since the 40’s. The older generations recognize this corner bar in a heartbeat! It’s been carrying history inside its walls for over 50 years. She was determined to restore the bar to its former glory, maintaining the historical integrity, and creating an atmosphere that is as welcoming as the Alibi once was. The community around this big ol’ brick building has evolved throughout the years, yet these bricks have merely faded on the outside. My mother carried with her all the same love, community, and heart from the Alibi and brought it into the Stadium.
Bar’s are not just a place to buy alcohol. It’s a place where people gather to socialize, make memories, and enjoy life. Please help us keep this a tradition.
FACTS:
Looking at the Health department's guidelines for the city of Santa Clara, Bert’s Stadium sports bar legally fits all the requirements to safely open for outdoor service. Yet, because it is a “bar” she doesn’t even get the option to open? I just don’t see how this is fair or right. Any business that can abide by these implemented mandates/executive orders should be able to exercise their right of living. Why do restaurants now have the right to sell alcohol to go? What is the catch here? People's lives are suffering, and will suffer for years to come because of this financial burden. Whatever you feel you can share to help us keep our family business going would be graciously accepted.
Thank you for listening to a piece of our story. Before the shelter in place ordinances, you could walk into the Stadium and expect a welcoming smile from the bartender, a regular offering up a stool, and the potential for a great story. I could write a novel about all the positive, amazing things my mother has done for her people. Now she’s indirectly reaching out to you all. Please extend your hands to her as she is reaching her rock bottom.
Best, Brooke and all the bartenders at Bert’s Stadium Sports bar
My name is Brooke and I am writing this on behalf of my mother. My mom is the most hard-working, driven, and inspirational business woman I’ve ever met. Today we are all living in what some might call a twilight zone. This pandemic has been tragic for many families and communities that rely on their small businesses, that have thrived for years off of love and hard-work. For most small business owners their livelihood is a reflection of their blood, sweat, and tears. With the goal to keep the numbers down, and flatten the curve of COVID, the health department, and government, have created guidelines to be followed. We want everyone to be safe and healthy, but we also need to survive! Please help us at Bert’s Stadium Sports Bar get through this.
I want to elaborate to those who don’t know us. This isn’t just a “bar”. We are not just a cliché, stereotypical, negative connotation “bar”. This is a dream, a place of history (est. in the 1940’s) and a family’s major source of income. I want to raise money to help my mom keep her bar open during the shutdowns. She’s on the brink of losing it, and is now tapping into her reserve.
My mother has a heart of gold. She didn’t even want me to do this because of her pride. I told her it was okay to ask for help because she has given so much to so many. She opened her first little dive bar in Mountain View in 2007. It was called Bert’s Alibi. People of all varieties would gather for all kinds of occasions. Some came everyday, some never even touched a drop of alcohol; they came for company, friendship, maybe even a simple game of pool or darts. Others sat and did crossword puzzles while drinking coffee. The local community of veterans would come in the early mornings. They would come bearing baked treats from their wives, and stories of their service. The sun would shine through the door, the stools would swivel and squeak, the jokes and stories would fill the room. People of all ages, classes, colors, beliefs, and more, came to celebrate. Some celebrated birthdays, promotions, engagements, and sometimes beautiful lives lost.
My mom, Bert, is a staple for her community. She is always giving. Even if she doesn’t know someone well, she extends her hand to pull them up from rock bottom. She has even helped some of her regulars with personal endeavors. During the holidays my mom puts her heart into a beautiful meal that she offers to her customers for free. For some, Christmas dinner at the Alibi, and now the Stadium, are the closest thing some of her people have to a family. Unfortunately, in 2018 she was forced to close her doors to the Alibi because the owner sold the land to a big corporation, but that didn’t stop her.
With the support of her family and community, in 2015 she became the new owner of Bert’s Stadium Sports Bar— previously known as The Blue Bonnet — a bar that has been open since the 40’s. The older generations recognize this corner bar in a heartbeat! It’s been carrying history inside its walls for over 50 years. She was determined to restore the bar to its former glory, maintaining the historical integrity, and creating an atmosphere that is as welcoming as the Alibi once was. The community around this big ol’ brick building has evolved throughout the years, yet these bricks have merely faded on the outside. My mother carried with her all the same love, community, and heart from the Alibi and brought it into the Stadium.
Bar’s are not just a place to buy alcohol. It’s a place where people gather to socialize, make memories, and enjoy life. Please help us keep this a tradition.
FACTS:
Looking at the Health department's guidelines for the city of Santa Clara, Bert’s Stadium sports bar legally fits all the requirements to safely open for outdoor service. Yet, because it is a “bar” she doesn’t even get the option to open? I just don’t see how this is fair or right. Any business that can abide by these implemented mandates/executive orders should be able to exercise their right of living. Why do restaurants now have the right to sell alcohol to go? What is the catch here? People's lives are suffering, and will suffer for years to come because of this financial burden. Whatever you feel you can share to help us keep our family business going would be graciously accepted.
Thank you for listening to a piece of our story. Before the shelter in place ordinances, you could walk into the Stadium and expect a welcoming smile from the bartender, a regular offering up a stool, and the potential for a great story. I could write a novel about all the positive, amazing things my mother has done for her people. Now she’s indirectly reaching out to you all. Please extend your hands to her as she is reaching her rock bottom.
Best, Brooke and all the bartenders at Bert’s Stadium Sports bar
Organizer and beneficiary
Kathryn Francois
Organizer
Sunnyvale, CA
Roberta Harris
Beneficiary