South Boston Restaurant Owner Raising Money To Help Staff Get Through Winter
BOSTON (CBS) – The winter months are some of the slowest for business in the restaurant industry, which is why the owner of Loco Taqueria in South Boston is taking matters into his own hands to help his staff.
"I'm really trying to make our employees whole, or at least relieve that financial burden," said owner Mike Shaw.
Shaw set up the Winter Restaurant Fund, organizing a GoFundMe page, selling t-shirts and sweatshirts to help his staff get through March.
His staff at Loco Taqueria and Fatbaby say the outpouring of support has been overwhelming.
"I'm born and raised in South Boston and it makes me feel great to see the community pull through," said server Shawna Rosher.
The fund has raised more than $150,000 in just four days.
"A fund like this, it's a huge, huge deal for us now," said Loco bartender Stephen Barresi.
It's a huge deal because January to March are the slowest for restaurant workers. That, coupled by the capacity limits and curfew set by the state, it's even more of a struggle.
"You're pulling strings, you're using all our credit cards that you have, everything that you have just to make way so knowing you have a little buffer or something coming through that's going to help in any way, shape or form – is just a huge relief, of course," Rosher told WBZ-TV.
It's one less burden after a difficult year. Shaw said the generosity is heartwarming.
"The last four days have been really, really special... a little bit of ease after a year of hardship," he said.