BRYAN, TX — Drive down South Main St. in Bryan around lunchtime any day of the week, and it’s tough to miss the line outside All The King’s Men.
The popular BBQ spot is usually finger-lickin’ good, but there hasn’t been much good to come out of the near-shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve dropped 80-90% of our normal sales,” says Aaron Curs, the eatery’s owner.
Forced to cut the majority of his staff, Curs is now relying on a few trusted employees to fill pick-up orders. But it’s not the same, not even close.
“One hour, it’s, 'We’re going to conquer the world,' and the next, 'It’s the world is conquering us,''' he said.
A few weeks ago, he got wind of a possible godsend in the form of a financial grant.
Soon, he applied for relief through Brazos Valley COVID-19 Community Relief Fund. The $12,500 check arrived a few days ago.
“It’s a lifesaver. That’s a little dramatic but that’s the truth,” he said.
Alison Prince, the CEO of the United Way of the Brazos Valley, is helping oversee the grant money. Even she wasn’t prepared for the totality of the past month.
“It’s heartbreaking. That very first week we received applications, I don’t know if I was mentally prepared for those. I don’t know I was mentally prepared for the stories,” said Prince.
So far, the organization has distributed more than $500,000 in donations and matching funds to dozens of small business and nonprofits.
“It’s great to hear. I have hope now. I feel we can get through this. This was just the bump we needed to get through this difficult time,” said Prince.
Starting Saturday, small business owners or nonprofits can start applying for the next batch of funding. Applications are reviewed as quickly as possible.
All the King’s Men is using their money for payroll and to help build for the future. They’ve taken advantage of less foot traffic by trying to improve online service.
“We want to come out of this like a Swiss Army knife with a bunch of new skill,” said Curs.
The restaurant plans to rehire as many of its one-time workers as possible.
Governor Greg Abbott is expected to announce new guidelines next week, which could further lift restrictions on business across the state. It’s not yet known when restaurants will be allowed to resume in-person dining, and it’s likely each county will have some leeway depending on the severity of COVID-19 cases in its area.