The Iron Post Covid Relief
Donation protected
Update on the future of The Iron Post - 4/6/2021:
Firstly, we would like to thank everyone for their donations so far. These donations were a major factor in allowing The Post to survive through the winter with any hope of re-opening this spring, as they have helped pay rent, insurance, and other operating expenses that did not go away even while the doors have been closed.
Paul, The Post’s sole owner and operator, had every intention of re-opening this spring. However, in early March he experienced a serious medical event which has made it impossible for him to continue to own and manage The Post going forward, and will in fact require long-term intensive health care and therapy. It is necessary to sell The Post, in one form or another, in order to cover medical expenses and comply with federal medical assistance rules. Paul’s family has been communicating with many members of the community to try to identify possible solutions that would allow for The Post to re-open in some form that would keep its spirit alive. Sadly, we keep discovering new issues that are out of our hands that complicate any efforts to take over The Post (both the name and the location) and it is seeming increasingly unlikely that The Post will be able to re-open at all, even under new management.
We are not asking for additional donations at this time to cover medical costs. You have all already done so much to help both Paul and The Post, but unfortunately the numbers we are dealing with across various debts are so large that it is nigh impossible that any additional donations you all might provide would prevent the sale of Paul and/or The Iron Post’s assets. Times are tough for many right now, and we would prefer that any funds you might want to donate instead be contributed to other efforts that enable and celebrate live music (whether it be jazz, soul, R&B, rock, or classical) in Champaign-Urbana.
Due to the change in circumstances, we totally understand if any of you wish to ask for a refund of your previous donations and are working with GoFundMe to facilitate that. As previously stated, all funds already spent from donations were used to keep The Post alive this long, and any as of yet unspent funds that are not refunded will be used to work towards resolving any outstanding business debts, closing down the business in an orderly manner, and ensuring that the more sentimental assets of The Post are distributed to those who will appreciate them and hopefully use them to create a successor institution some time in the future.
Paul’s family thank you for all of your generosity so far, and we know that this is a blow to the C-U Music community, not just our family. We hope you will honor Paul and The Post by doing everything you can to support live music this spring and summer.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Original Story (October 2020):
Do you want to be able to see a show at The Iron Post in the spring? Please help.
The Iron Post has brought quality live music to downtown Urbana for since September 2000. We have a national reputation as a jazz club and have been recognized by Downbeat Magazine as one of the best jazz clubs in the country. Though we don't always host jazz acts, live jazz has been our mainstay and labor of love. As a small venue in a relatively small midwest town it hasn't been easy staying afloat, but we have served the downstate Illinois area for twenty years, bringing regional and national acts to town, as well as providing a venue for local musicians to ply and mature their craft.
Covid 19 has decimated the live music industry. The future of large outdoor festivals is grim. So small live entertainment venue, if they survive, look to be the near future of live jazz. The Iron Post is no exception to the dire effects caused by the state mandated restrictions for the Corona virus. After going three+ months (101 days) of little or no income this spring and summer, we reopened to limited capacity on the patio. We did not qualify for incentives, so we've been limping along. We fear we would contribute to spreading the virus by having show indoors. But with winter coming we will probably have to end outdoor live shows on most days due to inclement weather. Many of our customers have expressed the hope that The Iron Post will remain open and continue to host live shows. Without live shows, our monetary situation is such that we will not be able to survive and we fear we might have to close for good. We are asking our clientele and live music lovers, especially jazz fans to help us make it through the winter, until there is a safer way to put on shows.
Just to stay viable (paying rent, power insurance, etc) it will cost $5000 a month with no other income.. If we are limited by weather for six months (November through April) that would be $30,000. That is what we are asking to raise through this site.
Thank all for their continued support.
Firstly, we would like to thank everyone for their donations so far. These donations were a major factor in allowing The Post to survive through the winter with any hope of re-opening this spring, as they have helped pay rent, insurance, and other operating expenses that did not go away even while the doors have been closed.
Paul, The Post’s sole owner and operator, had every intention of re-opening this spring. However, in early March he experienced a serious medical event which has made it impossible for him to continue to own and manage The Post going forward, and will in fact require long-term intensive health care and therapy. It is necessary to sell The Post, in one form or another, in order to cover medical expenses and comply with federal medical assistance rules. Paul’s family has been communicating with many members of the community to try to identify possible solutions that would allow for The Post to re-open in some form that would keep its spirit alive. Sadly, we keep discovering new issues that are out of our hands that complicate any efforts to take over The Post (both the name and the location) and it is seeming increasingly unlikely that The Post will be able to re-open at all, even under new management.
We are not asking for additional donations at this time to cover medical costs. You have all already done so much to help both Paul and The Post, but unfortunately the numbers we are dealing with across various debts are so large that it is nigh impossible that any additional donations you all might provide would prevent the sale of Paul and/or The Iron Post’s assets. Times are tough for many right now, and we would prefer that any funds you might want to donate instead be contributed to other efforts that enable and celebrate live music (whether it be jazz, soul, R&B, rock, or classical) in Champaign-Urbana.
Due to the change in circumstances, we totally understand if any of you wish to ask for a refund of your previous donations and are working with GoFundMe to facilitate that. As previously stated, all funds already spent from donations were used to keep The Post alive this long, and any as of yet unspent funds that are not refunded will be used to work towards resolving any outstanding business debts, closing down the business in an orderly manner, and ensuring that the more sentimental assets of The Post are distributed to those who will appreciate them and hopefully use them to create a successor institution some time in the future.
Paul’s family thank you for all of your generosity so far, and we know that this is a blow to the C-U Music community, not just our family. We hope you will honor Paul and The Post by doing everything you can to support live music this spring and summer.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Original Story (October 2020):
Do you want to be able to see a show at The Iron Post in the spring? Please help.
The Iron Post has brought quality live music to downtown Urbana for since September 2000. We have a national reputation as a jazz club and have been recognized by Downbeat Magazine as one of the best jazz clubs in the country. Though we don't always host jazz acts, live jazz has been our mainstay and labor of love. As a small venue in a relatively small midwest town it hasn't been easy staying afloat, but we have served the downstate Illinois area for twenty years, bringing regional and national acts to town, as well as providing a venue for local musicians to ply and mature their craft.
Covid 19 has decimated the live music industry. The future of large outdoor festivals is grim. So small live entertainment venue, if they survive, look to be the near future of live jazz. The Iron Post is no exception to the dire effects caused by the state mandated restrictions for the Corona virus. After going three+ months (101 days) of little or no income this spring and summer, we reopened to limited capacity on the patio. We did not qualify for incentives, so we've been limping along. We fear we would contribute to spreading the virus by having show indoors. But with winter coming we will probably have to end outdoor live shows on most days due to inclement weather. Many of our customers have expressed the hope that The Iron Post will remain open and continue to host live shows. Without live shows, our monetary situation is such that we will not be able to survive and we fear we might have to close for good. We are asking our clientele and live music lovers, especially jazz fans to help us make it through the winter, until there is a safer way to put on shows.
Just to stay viable (paying rent, power insurance, etc) it will cost $5000 a month with no other income.. If we are limited by weather for six months (November through April) that would be $30,000. That is what we are asking to raise through this site.
Thank all for their continued support.
Organizer
Paul Wirth
Organizer
Urbana, IL