GoFundMe launched to help Dirty Frank’s stay afloat, pay bills during public health crisis

With financial struggles mounting and a return to normal business unclear, Dirty Frank’s is calling upon the local community for help so that it can survive the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The popular Philly bar, located on the corner of 13th and Pine streets, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover its rent and bills, as well as to keep staff afloat. 

As of Sunday, the fundraiser has brought in $15,000 with a goal of reaching $25,000.

When the bar was forced to close its doors at the onset of the public health crisis in March, it initially raised over $13,000 from family and the local community to help support employees who were out of work, the fundraiser organizers said. 

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Dirty Frank’s received a loan through the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program to help out small businesses financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the fundraiser organizers said that the funding was only enough to cover some bills and pay rent.

The bar, which was originally closed for five months due to the coronavirus pandemic, reopened in July to serve cocktails to go.

When it began welcoming customers back to the bar, Dirty Frank’s “hung lights, got tiny tables and folding chairs, hung plexi, and made a cocktail door for ordering,” according to the fundraiser organizers. 

The bar also strictly emphasized the following of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, including making sure that everyone wore face masks at all times when not drinking, practicing social distancing, constant sanitizing of surfaces, and contact tracing.

However, keeping indoor capacity to 25% was barely enough to cover its operating costs, the fundraiser organizers said.

Now a month behind on its rent and indoor service at bars banned in Philly until 2021 due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Dirty Frank’s is warning customers that it may have to permanently close unless it gets a financial boost from the local community.

“It will be impossible for us to cover our monthly expenses, let alone keeping the staff afloat” if Dirty Frank’s cannot fully reopen soon, the fundraiser organizers said.

“So with a heavy heart I reach out once again to the community that considers Dirty Frank’s a home, an escape, their dive bar, for your help to please keep paying our rent, bills and support our staff as we head into the unknown,” the fundraiser organizers said.

“Our goal is to survive long enough that will see you once again sitting on the other side of the bar.”