WESTWOOD, N.J.—Bibi’z Restaurant and Lounge, struggling to survive amid Covid-19 shutdowns and restrictions, got a new lease on life with financial support from an online fund supporting small businesses.
The Barstool Fund, created by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy in support of the 30 Day Fund, will provide monthly support to the popular venue, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary on Jan. 13.
After Portnoy watched a video appeal made by Bibi’z owner Ida Martin, in which she explained her need for financial assistance, Portnoy called her Jan. 25 to tell her that hers was among the businesses that would receive financial aid to help pay employees and keep the doors open.
Martin recognized Portnoy on the video call and held her composure for as long as she could. As Portnoy confirmed he was helping her stay in business, she broke down in tears of gratitude.
Martin said she had applied for bank loans but the interest rates were unaffordable. She said when the restaurant, at 284 Center Ave., opened, they purchased a liquor license and she put her life savings into the restaurant, taking out a second mortgage on her house and extra loans to try to make ends meet.
In her appeal video, she said she was embarrassed to ask for help and thought 2020 would be a “turnaround year” for the restaurant, only to see the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
She said she heard about the Barstool Fund’s effort to help small businesses from her niece, who urged her to reach out.
Portnoy, whose non-profit Barstool Fund had helped 182 businesses nationwide as of Jan. 26, has so far raised almost $30 million from nearly 205,000 individual supporters.
Portnoy’s Instagram channel, Barstool Sports, provides sports talk and betting insights to sports enthusiasts. Portnoy said he started the online fund due to the federal government’s failure to provide adequate financial support to struggling small businesses.
On the Barstool Fund website, Bibi’z Restaurant and Lounge appears among many other businesses thrown a lifeline.
“Bibi’z Restaurant and Lounge brings to Westwood a place to enjoy the night gorging on tantalizing food. The cuisine at this restaurant takes inspirations from recipes all across the globe and blends them to create new tastes,” reads the venue’s entry.
After Portnoy called Martin and informed her that Bibi’z would receive the aid, Martin broke down in tears.
“Thank you so much. God bless you and everybody who is working for you,” she told Portnoy.
Portnoy reacted gently: “It sounds like you have quite the spot, and from your reaction you’re exactly the kind of spot we’re trying to help.”
He assured Martin her business would receive a check within 72 hours and that he would check in with her monthly to find out how the restaurant was doing.
Portnoy said they would help support Bibi’z for as long as it needed help during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Grateful owner speaks out
Martin told Pascack Press on Jan. 26, “I was shocked of course because I didn’t really believe it was real.”
She said that she had applied for business interruption insurance reimbursement due to Covid-19 business losses and her claim was denied. She said additional efforts to find loans or grant funds to sustain her business were also not fruitful.
She said that limited government support was available to restaurant owners and that the one small grant her restaurant received came and went in a heartbeat.
She said she felt restaurant owners “were left out to hang” and received virtually no financial support from any government agency.
She again profoundly thanked Portnoy’s Barstool Fund for helping to sustain Bibi’z for a while longer but told Pascack Press “the future is scary” because customers are still not back due to the pandemic.
“This grant is not going to take us out of the deep hole we’re in but it will help us. It’s an incredible thing that they did for us when hardly anyone else was helping.”
She said getting the grant was “bittersweet” because the pandemic is still hurting restaurants and people are reluctant to eat out given such fears. She said she hoped local governments would help struggling businesses more by accommodating restaurants with outdoor dining alternatives where possible.
“It’s amazing what he’s [Portnoy] doing, but what’s also amazing is he’s actually doing something that our insurance was paid to do to help us but refused to do,” said Martin, noting little help has come from state or federal officials to support restaurants.
Fans of Bibi’z Restaurant and Lounge—and of Martin—were quick to add their cheers on Barstool’s Instagram account.
One patron wrote, “One of my favorite places to go!” Another wrote, “Love love love Bibiz! Best place!” Another said, “I love you picked Bibi’z! The owner is a doll, hardworking! We enjoyed many cocktails in this spot!”
One poster told Martin, “You are the most genuine person I have seen on here or probably even met in person! I remember going to ur restaurant a while ago and I will be sure to get back there after seeing this. I wish you luck and blessings going forward! What a wonderful thing for Portnoy and his organization to do!”
Another patron said, “Thank you Barstool! Ida and Bibi’z helps so many people in our community. Community is doing the best we can to help but you have truly given them the ability to survive!”
Celebrate Westwood cheers Bibi’z, says shop locally
Pascack Press checked with Celebrate Westwood, which has been praising the local community for its support of small businesses and organized February as Westwood Restaurant Appreciation Month.
CW’s Lauren Letizia emphasized that her committee is not connected with the Barstool Fund, and said “the pandemic’s impact on discretionary spending and a desire to mitigate perceived Covid-19 exposure risks, coupled with the state’s ongoing 25% cap on indoor dining and the realities of a New Jersey winter, have left many restaurants—an industry with notoriously thin margins in any climate—struggling to make ends meet.”
She said, “It is important to note that there have been no cases of transmission related back to Westwood eateries and the rate of transmission at bars and restaurants across the United States is less than 2%.
Letizia said, “Restaurants are working hard to make the dining experience as safe as possible for their employees and patrons, often exceeding local and state protocol.
“As you see in Ida’s submission video, these small businesses represent the sweat, blood, tears, and life savings of their proprietors and—perhaps more than a national chain—have a direct and vested interest in protecting their assets and the communities they love and serve.”
She said, “Celebrate Westwood encourages residents to continue relying on our small businesses to provide essential services through these next few months as we hopefully await a smoother vaccine rollout and the coming of spring.”
Now through Feb. 10 is Westwood Restaurant Appreciation Month, and prizes will be awarded to those who share photos of their local dine out/take out experiences on social media, tagging @CelebrateWestwood.
Letizia said, “We encourage you to congratulate the staff of Bibi’z on their great windfall and enjoy their cuisine, while also remembering to pop in to one of the other 41 eateries and countless small businesses that continue to make Westwood the Hub of the Pascack Valley.”
For videos of Martin applying for aid and receiving the good news from Portnoy, head to Instagram.
The nonprofit 30 Day Fund was launched by Virginia technology entrepreneur Pete Snyder and his wife, Burson. Working with other business leaders throughout the nation, the Fund says its goal is to help save as many jobs as possible.
The funds disbursed do not need to be repaid, but if businesses who receive the Fund’s assistance do, at a later date, wish to “pay it forward, they may do so by directing those dollars back to the Fund, which will disburse them to another business in need, it says.
The Barstool Fund says at its website, barstoolsports.com/The-Barstool-Fund, “If you are able to help, you can make a tax deductible contribution to support small businesses featured [with us] by clicking Contribute to the Fund.”
It adds, individuals also can support small businesses by purchasing Barstool Fund apparel. It promises, “All net proceeds will go toward supporting small businesses.”
— Additional reporting by John Snyder