Bar Owner Supports Staff By Removing $3K In Dollar Bills From The Walls

After officials had implemented stay-at-home mandates and restricted restaurants to eateries providing just takeout and delivery amid the COVID-19 pandemic, The Sand Bar in the Georgia resort destination of Tybee Island was forced to close. The owner of the business, however, spotted a way to assist her unemployed workers by using the establishment’s décor, CNN reported.

Jennifer Knox told the outlet, “We were sitting there doors locked, and I’m like ‘oh my gosh, there’s money on the walls and we have time on our hands. We gotta get this money down.’”

Customers had been writing on dollar bills and affixing them to the walls and ceilings for almost 15 years. Five volunteers worked to assist in gingerly removing the money. Some of the bills had originated from nations around the world.

Knox operates the bar with her mother after initially serving as a bartender at the establishment. She told the outlet, “I can’t just sit here and do nothing” and that “I’ll do what I can for my people.”

The bills were cleaned and counted in about a week and a half. Overall, more than $3,700 was collected, with stacks covering the entire bar. One of the employees opted to contribute her share to another bartender on the island.

Tybee Island relies on beach tourists to sustain its economy. The town has approximately 3,000 residents.

In separate news, Instagram Co-founder Mike Krieger, along with his wife Kaitlyn, launched a directory of restaurants in the Bay Area, called SaveOurFaves, to help local businesses bring in revenue amid coronavirus restrictions. According to an earlier report, the platform had listed 700 eateries and coffee shops and was taking in 50 submissions each day. Other similar platforms have come to fruition, like Rally For Restaurants and Give Local, which provide directories for multiple areas.