Back in April, Nick Tarlowski saw a lime green Electra Townie bicycle that Pepe’s Bistro owner, Pepe Fierro, had for sale. But Tarlowski didn’t have the cash to buy the bike.
A few days later, Fierro dropped the Electra Townie off at Tarlowski’s house and wouldn’t take any money, telling Tarlowski to buy him some beer.
“I wound up buying a six-pack of stout from Brewsky’s,†Tarlowski said. “I took it over to him, dropped it off and started thinking, ‘That’s not enough.' I called him up the next day at work and bought $100 in burritos that he could just give away. That’s kind of where it all started.â€
It is Give and Let Live, a pay-it-forward fundraiser for pandemic-stricken bars and restaurants that Tarlowski began just before Thanksgiving by setting up a prepaid tab at the 1867 Bar, which is owned and operated by Kelsey Sanders.
“I started a tab at Kelsey’s. I gave her $100,†Tarlowski said. “She promoted it — 'Come get a six-pack. If you have some cash, throw it onto the tab. If not, that’s cool. Just tip the bartenders.’ That tab lasted three days.â€
Actually, Sanders said, the tab is still open, with $64 remaining as of Tuesday.
“It brought in a lot of people,†she said. “We had people calling, Venmo-ing, at one point, it was over $200.
"During the last shutdown, we had a tab like this. Most of the people who came in and used it were nurses and health care workers. They definitely deserve a free six-pack.â€
The success of Tarlowski’s tab prompted Sanders to follow suit.
“The next day, I decided that since everybody was so generous to us, I wanted to keep it going,†she said.
So on Thanksgiving, also the birthday of Cosmic Eye Brewing owner Sam Riggins, Sanders got in touch with him and set up a $50 tab at Cosmic Eye.
He responded by starting a $50 tab at Code Beer, which began a chain reaction. Code Beer started a $50 tab at White Elm Brewing. White Elm donated to Backswing Brewing.
"It really brought the community together and got something positive going,†Sanders said.
Tarlowski wanted to set up tabs at more bars and restaurants. But he couldn’t afford to do it all himself. So, on Thanksgiving, he set up a Facebook fundraiser that he called Give and Let Live.
The goal for the fundraiser is $5,000. It’s set to run through Christmas Eve.
“It did kind of blow up," Tarlowski said. "We’re at $3,200 right now. I thought it might take until Christmas to get to that point.â€
Deducting the credit card transaction fees, the $3,400 is enough to fund tabs at 33 places.
So far, tabs have been established at Pour Craft Beer & Spirits, Rumology, Dish, Billy’s Restaurant, Braska Bar & Grill, Harbor Coffeehouse and Chopsticks.Â
More will be added daily, chosen at random from the bars and restaurants who contact Tarlowski and want to be part of Give and Let Live.
Tarlowski understands that some criticism of Give and Let Live is likely because it is sending people out during a spike in the spread of the coronavirus in Lincoln.
“I know that some people will get upset with me encouraging people to go out right now, but literally, it’s the only thing we can do,†Tarlowski said. “We don’t have a delivery service at Grata. We tried it, and it was too expensive."
Give and Let Live is the third pandemic-driven project that Tarlowski has been involved with. In April, the head chef at Grata brought back Knickerbocker’s tacos to be sold at 1867 Bar. In August, he was one of the people behind setting up — and performing for — Local Time Live, a monthlong promotion that sent Zipline beer along with bands to play in driveways.
“We had the taco thing; that went well,†Tarlowski said. “The Local Time Live went well. This looks like it’s going to take off for a while. None of these are enough to keep anybody in business. They might be drops in the bucket, but it’s something.â€
After Grata's Nick Tarlowski started a tab to support her pandemic-stricken business, 1867 Bar owner and operator Kelsey Sanders paid it forward, starting a tab at a local brewery. The effort has now grown into a fundraiser to support bars and restaurants across the city.
Nick Tarlowski of Grata Bar & Lounge prepares a blackened chicken Alfredo pasta in April. Tarlowski recently started Give and Let Live, a pay-it-forward fundraiser for pandemic-stricken bars and restaurants.