The Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce said that nearly 50 restaurants, bars, nightclubs and lounges received a $5,000 grant to help them weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization partnered with the city and the Brookhaven Epicurean Society to allocate $300,000 worth of grants to reimburse businesses that renew their alcohol license for next year. The grants, which were approved in mid-November, were funded from the city’s $9.5 million reserve fund.
Roughly 20% of the city’s bars and restaurants have permanently closed since March, prompting the relief efforts, the Chamber said. Jeff Carlson, the president of the Epicurean Society and director of food & beverage for Culinaire, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he hopes the spike in business closures is mostly over.
“Knocking on wood, I hope that March, April and May was the worst time and it’s gradually getting back to normal,” he said.
Most of the businesses that applied for the grants were full-service restaurants, but Carlson said a few lounges and nightclubs also qualified and received the funds. The money can go toward general operations and effectively act as a free alcohol license renewal.
The city is still accepting applications for the alcohol license grant program. The deadline to renew an alcohol license in Brookhaven is Dec. 31, and it typically costs about $5,000 for a full alcohol license. A license for only beer and wine does not qualify for the program, and the grant can not be used to pay off late fees or penalties.
The Chamber launched two other programs to assist restaurants, including free deep cleaning services and free COVID-19 kits. More than 100 businesses accepted the free cleaning service, and about 25 businesses received one of the COVID-19 kits, which included sanitizers, facemasks, temperature gauges and more.
“It was a huge, simple safety measure that was appreciated by the community who frequents those establishments,” Carlson said.
For more information or to apply for the alcohol license reimbursement grant, email Carlson at jeffcarlson@cornerboothconsult.com. For a free COVID-19 kit, email Claudia Colichon at claudia@brookhavencommerce.org. The free deep cleaning program is no longer available.
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