Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Offers Free Drinks At 'Beer & Shot' COVID Vaccine Clinic
WOBURN (CBS) – No better way to spend a Tuesday night than with a free shot and a beer, right?
No, not THAT kind of shot. On Tuesday evening at Lord Hobo Brewing in Woburn, any adult who wanted a vaccine could show up and get the one dose Johnson and Johnson shot administered by Armstrong Ambulance EMTs, followed by a free beer ticket to enjoy in the brew hall.
"I drink beer so I'm happy with this," Cheryl Gallagher of Woburn told WBZ-TV as she and her husband waited in line for their shots.
"I've been holding off for the single shot," her husband Fran added.
He wasn't able to find a clinic that would guarantee him the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, so when he saw the Lord Hobo event, he said, "It's right down the street; we gotta go."
Others in line weren't so thrilled about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Tom D'Alessandro told WBZ he was reluctantly getting the shot because he was the last person at his office to remain unvaccinated.
"It just makes me nervous, I feel like it was rushed," he said. "This one is just one shot so I'm a little more comfortable getting this. I love my job enough where I'm willing to get vaccinated, but I'm still a little uncomfortable."
People like D'Alessandro are exactly the people these "incentivized" vaccine clinics are targeted to -- those who might be motivated by a free beer, iced coffee, or some other benefit.
"It's awesome," Lord Hobo Executive General Manager Kate Ballenger told WBZ. "Our industry was crushed by COVID, so any way we can contribute to getting people back in our taproom is essential for business."
"The idea came that you'd get a shot of J&J and a free IPA, and the rest is history," Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin said. "I was really surprised to see the turnout, but we were optimistic."
