In addition, the bar ordered extra bottled water from their supplier, gave some to their employees, and will donate 30 cases to South Florida relief efforts. Punky’s turned Wednesday night’s bingo4hcarity event into a benefit event and plans to host others. “We have some supply issues, so the menu is somewhat flexible.”Īs for damage, Longstreth says, “There was minor damage to the roof and soffit and fence.” However, the restaurant is feeling Irma’s impact with supply constraints.
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Unlike Enigma, Punky’s has a full kitchen, in addition to their bar. Punky’s Bar & Grill suffers minor damages following Hurricane Irma. “Punky’s was closed on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and we’ve been working with skeleton crews since the Friday before the storm and this week, as employees are able to return from evacuation zones.” “The biggest challenge from before the storm and aftermath is balancing the safety of our employees and their financial needs,” said Longstreth. Co-Owner Brian Longstreth reported that the restaurant never lost power. Punky’s Bar and Grill is also up and running following Hurricane Irma. I have invited many to my house to take a shower and cool off.” “Several of our team members are still without power and water. But right now, he’s putting employees first. Gonzales plans to organize several benefits for Naples, Jacksonville, and Key West areas of the state. They’re just excited to get back to work.” “At this point, our internet services are down and we can only accept cash, but our employees don’t seem to care. By Tuesday, the staff was ready to step in and get the bar back up and running, even if it meant an inability to use credit card machines. “I was expecting the worst, but there wasn’t even a hint of a scratch.”Įnigma closed at 8:00 PM on Wednesday evening before the storm to give employees enough time to evacuate the building. Gonzales was amazed by the minimal damage to the property. “We got power back sometime yesterday morning and were slammed on Tuesday afternoon after opening the doors at 2:00 PM,” said Ed Gonzales, owner of Enigma Bar and Lounge. It came as no surprise that the St Petersburg area LGBT community was chomping at the bit for social interaction by Tuesday evening.
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In a world filled with technology and instant gratification response times, several days without power, internet service, and Netflix can feel like an eternity.