Save the Golden Lantern Bar
Dear friends, community and supporters,
We are reaching out to you because we need help saving our beloved Golden Lantern Bar, an inclusive gathering place in the French Quarter which means so much to so many people near and far. Opened in 1964, The Golden Lantern is the original home of Southern Decadence, the largest gay celebration in New Orleans. Any donations from this fundraiser will go directly to The Golden Lantern and their team.
***This GoFundMe has been created with direct permission from the owners (James L Garner) and deposited into the bank account of The Witch's Lantern lantern llc, also known as the Golden Lantern Bar. All money donated will go directly to paying operating expenses related to The Golden Lantern and its reopening.
****All money from this fundraiser will get deposited directly into the bank account of The Golden Lantern.
The overwhelming financial burden of COVID-19 is taking its toll, and now The Golden Lantern needs your support. The team at The Golden Lantern needs support, and jobs to return to.
The Golden Lantern received PPP funding, which helped keep afloat for the 2.5 months the government provided assistance with. Much of that funding was spent making The Golden Lantern safer to patrons and staff, purchasing sanitizing stations, thermometers, tables, tents, and all the other additions necessary to function in this strange new time. Staff was kept on, to keep money in their pockets, hiring them for side projects, such as deep cleaning of the bar and assisting with renovations.
No one was prepared to still be dealing with this 5 months later, with no end in sight.
The Golden Lantern gave it a good fight, that is for certain...
They closed as required, and reopened all while observing new and unique ways to serve you, our neighbors, and visitors while ensuring the team's safety was paramount. Ever-changing rules and inconsistencies from the city made it an expensive experiment, but what other options were there?
They did the best they could despite the adversities to remain open but at this point, have been again ordered to close (7/25) with no idea when bars in New Orleans will be allowed to reopen.
The reality is, the bills (rent, insurance, utilities, taxes, etc) continue to pour in. Despite being closed, Entergy and SWBNO bills are somehow much higher than usual. Without income or additional resources available, The Golden Lantern is struggling to keep its head above water. With expenses over $20,000+ a month and no income expected any time soon, options are running out.
The Golden Lantern team is eager to serve you again when it is safe. The performers want to dance for you, and the musicians want to sing but in the meantime, they are struggling. Any amount you donate will help with expenses so that when all this is over, The Golden Lantern can reopen and welcome you back as the fun, inclusive place community gathering place it has been since 1964.
If you are not in a position to donate, please consider purchasing some of GL merchandise, or giving this post a share. A Golden Lantern website will be up soon, with a page to shop and/or donate directly, but orders can be placed directly through The Golden Lantern FB page.
We thank you in advance for your support and donation and look forward to sharing a drink and a laugh with you in the hopefully not too distant future.
We love and we miss you guys,
- The Golden Lantern Team
1239 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
* 20% of the funds will go to supporting our staff.
** The $60,000 will go towards covering the utilities and bills that the Golden Lantern has fallen behind on, as well as the bills which keep coming in.
***This GoFundMe has been created with direct permission from the owners, and all money donated will go directly to paying operating expenses related to The Golden Lantern and its reopening.
****All money from this fundraiser will get deposited directly into the bank account of The Golden Lantern.
#SmallBusinessRelief
#Gay Bar
#LBTQ
#COVID-19
#New Orleans
#savequeervenues