Edwards Market gets financial bailout

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Edwards Market executive chef and manager Tommy Festa

A nationwide movement to support small businesses struggling to keep their doors open during COVID-19 has found its way to Granville.

Edwards Market located at 11 West Main Street

Edwards Market, a full-service restaurant/cafe pizza kitchen located at 11 West Main Street, joined the list of 306 total small businesses gaining financial assistance from the Barstool Fund, headed by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.

Since last Dec. 17, when Portnoy’s $500,000 kickstart launched the project to alleviate the economical stresses and burdens business owners across the country have faced during the global pandemic, as of March 4, $36,252,010 has been donated by 220,642 supporters, including celebrities, politicians and everyday people.

After dropping a few joyful expletives and chuckles in relief to seeing Portnoy’s face via Facetime call on Wednesday, Edwards Market’s executive chef and manager Tommy Festa was overwhelmed with emotion.

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo Finance. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.

“You are a sight for sore eyes, for sure,” Festa said to Portnoy.

Portnoy responded candidly and displayed a true sense of empathy for not only Festa, but for all individuals trying to keep their businesses alive in this period of uncertainty.

“Sounds like you’re in need of a little bit of help, so we want to do that and make sure you got what you need to make it through this thing,” Portnoy said to Festa.

When joking around asking if Portnoy creating the Barstool Fund was an effort to make up for decisions in his past or something along those lines, Portnoy laughed and replied it was more of a snowball effect that has created a great opportunity to support the people that make villages and towns popular.

“Honestly, we fell into it. I was passionate about it and all these people donated,” Portnoy said. “I’m kind of a middle-man, like, we have this platform, people donated, and when we speak to guys like you, we can tell we’re making a difference and it’s nice. We’re just glad we can help out and hopefully, in a couple of months, three, four months, we don’t have to do it anymore. We want things to open up, but until then, every time we call it makes a difference and you can see it on the other end and we’re glad to see it.”

The call for help came from Festa himself, as he sent an application video to the Barstool Fund requesting aid after the initial progress in 2020 was halted by the outbreak of COVID-19.

The fund promises to cover the costs of staffing, rent, taxes and other categories as necessary to keep the business alive and functioning as normally as possible until the end of the pandemic.

“Restaurant was killing it,” Festa said. “Thirty days in, pizzas we’re taking off like crazy. COVID hit, shut us right down.”

Pizza area at Edwards Market

Following the restaurant inside-seating being closed last March, Festa and staff had to focus on transitioning from the restaurant to assisting the community with the market. Many residents in Granville were struggling mightily with retrieving necessities at grocery stores, so Festa wanted

to be able to supply toiletries, meats, produce and anything you can think of to those who were in need.

“That’s just one example of who we are and what we do,” Festa said. “We’re a family here… we’re not going anywhere.”

A backpack lunch program was started shortly after for students in the Granville Central School District to come over for slices of pizza.

Festa admitted the months of February and March are typically challenging from a business standpoint. Now factoring in the pandemic, the funds being transferred over within 72 hours of confirmation to being selected will provide the surge to keep Edwards Market running full-speed.

Despite close to $60,000 being received in the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program, Festa said the bills and expenses have mounted and created an uphill battle like they have for many friends and families that have lost their businesses.

“I’ve weighed it all out, I’ve considered all the options. I can’t close, the community needs us there,” Festa said. “Passion for the craft will always be there, but really the reward is in my customer base.”

Mayor Paul Labas said he was “totally amazed and happy” for Festa when he heard the good news. Labas is excited the publicity of the selection will bring more outsiders and business to the village, Edwards Market and the surrounding businesses who could use a helping hand as well.

“People are looking at Granville… it’s a unique place, we have a lot to offer,” Labas said. “When you’re in a business, it’s got to be the toughest thing on the face of the earth, especially in the food service business.”

When informed that more than 200,000 people across the world have contributed to the Barstool Fund, Labas said it was nothing short of remarkable and a sign of good character.

“To me, it really shows that people do have good in their heart,” Labas said. “They’re doing it out of the good of their hearts to help out people they don’t even know… I’d like us to pull through (the pandemic) with a smile.”

Festa came to Edwards Market in 2016 from Long Island and is proud of the expansion, advancements and contributions that have come under his tenure as “the operator.”

“I knew we could really do something with this,” Festa said at Edwards Market.

During the heavy part of the pandemic, Festa had employees delivering groceries and pharmacy prescriptions to the elderly to prevent them from being exposed to the virus.

Last March, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the shutdown of the state, Festa admitted he had an emotional breakdown because he was forced to close his doors and put staff out of work for a short period of time for something out of his control.

“THIS is what’s going to do it?” Festa questioned. “We’re successful here and we’re still struggling.”

With the support from the community and the Barstool Fund, Granville residents can look forward to “COVID-friendly” booths, the return to catering and a new online ordering platform to come to Edwards Market in the near future.

Festa said he credits an older Italian gentleman from New York City with an adage he lives by with what he considers “his baby” in the market and restaurant.

“It’s been a great ride and I don’t want to get off it,” he said.