Longtime customers set up GoFundMe’s to save metro restaurants suffering in pandemic

ATLANTA — The impact of COVID-19 can be seen in many industries in Georgia. The restaurant industry has been hit unusually hard, and the effects have been noticed almost immediately.

Channel 2′s Berendt Petersen spoke with a pair of restaurant owners about keeping a business afloat in the middle of a pandemic.

“We don’t have enough money to pay the staff. So I had to shut down on the day that was the slowest,” Lynda Alley said. Alley is the owner of the Rexall Grill in Duluth. The Rexall Grill, a restaurant with more than 52 years of history, is struggling.

The Rexall Grill is not alone in trying to survive these rough times.

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The Olive Bistro located in Midtown is also trying to navigate this unpredictable “COVID Economy.” Kay Masri, owner of the Olive Bistro, said the second COVID-19 spike has been much worse than the first. Masri has owned the Midtown staple since 1997.

“Oh, it’s so sad. I’m not embarrassed to say, some days, I’ll just break down crying , you know,” Masri said.

The pair of owners think the new stimulus plan proposed by President-elect Joe Biden may offer some assistance. They both agree that getting customers back in the door and into the seats will really save the businesses.

Longtime customers took notice of their struggles and set up GoFundMe pages to keep them from going under. In recent weeks, they’ve also launched fundraisers for a few other local restaurants.

If you’d like to help our the restaurants you can donate to their GoFundMe pages here: Duluth Rexall Grill and Olive Bistro

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Cox Media Group