Owner Cries When Strangers Save His 65-Year-Old Family Restaurant From Closing Down

For the past 65 years, an Italian restaurant called Borrelli’s has remained a beloved dining destination. But when COVID-19 swept its way across the country, Borrelli’s became one of the countless restaurants that faced closure.

The owner of Borrelli’s, Frank Borrelli Jr., said he was breaking even over the summer. “I got my staff. They were all being paid. And I said we’ll make it through Christmas. January, February, March, I was planning on closing,” he said.

Little did he know that his guardian angel was about to step in and change everything.

Dave Portnoy, a sports blogger and the founder of sports media company Barstool Sports, heard about the dire situation over at Borrelli’s and felt he needed to do something about it. He was particularly moved by the fact that Frank Borrelli Jr. managed to pay his employees throughout the pandemic.

In mid-December 2020, Dave decided to create the Barstool Fund, and Borelli’s was the first recipient.

Sports fans from all over the country have been chipping in to save restaurants like his from closing down — restaurants continuing to pay their employees, just like Frank Borelli Jr. does for his staff.

Incredibly, the Barstool Fund has so far raised more than $2.6 million!

The major requirement for businesses to get funding from the Barstool Fund is that they must still be paying their employees. The fund will pay the costs of the businesses as long as they need to stay open.