DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A Delray Beach bar has closed due to concerns over coronavirus and the owner is helping her employees pay their expenses with a $1,000 stipend.
Annie Blake, owner of Death or Glory, met with her 25 full-time employees Tuesday and broke the news about the temporary closure.
Blake said she views her employees as family and they took the news as best they could, telling her that they understand.
Watch the interviews of the owners and staff of Death or Glory
Server Ashley Amann said she agrees with Blake's decision, but it's a scary one.
"I don't think any of us know what will happen in the next week or two weeks," Amann said.
Blake is helping each of her employees by gifting them each $1,000 to help with their rent for April. The money is coming out of her and her business partners' pockets.
"Anyone who works here can give us a copy of their lease and, up to $1,000, we will pay their rent for April," Blake said.
She said the closure comes at the worst time of the year, as March is usually their busiest month.
Blake met with staff at the bar Wednesday and sorted through her inventory of food items, deciding what could be frozen, what could be donated and which items could be given to staffers.
She said she hopes they can reopen their doors within a month and wishes owners of other businesses would also temporarily shut down to reduce the chances of spreading coronavirus
"My hope is, if we close for a month, then we don't have to close for six," Blake said.