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Fernando's
13 years ago
Hey all,
I know that people have heard a lot about this, but it can't be said enough right now.
There is a drive to help out our friend Fernando in Pittsburgh. For those that don't understand, let me spell this out very simply:
Fernando was the first business in Pittsburgh to openly embrace the idea of catering his business to Anthrocon for the duration of the convention. This included making t-shirts, renaming the restaurant, putting out little pawprints in sidewalk chalk to entice furries in, and serving food in dog bowls as part of special promotions.
Fernando openly communicates with the Anthrocon Board of Directors to try and work with the convention, and even undertook extra debt just to try and make his business run until AC2012.
Fernando literally took a rock (brick) to the head while making a hostile vagrant leave his establishment so that the furries that were there would feel safe.
Fernando has openly stated to the Pittsburgh media that Anthrocon is "the most important" event on his calendar. He's stated that we represent a full 25% of his annual revenue in one single weekend.
When Fernando realized that he wouldn't make it to AC2012, .. *HE CONTACTED US* to let us know about it. that's how important we have become to him. If we were just another customer, he wouldn't have bothered. But we're not....we're FRIENDS to this small business.
Now I'm not saying that we need to extend pity to this man or his business. I am saying that this man has proven himself to be a good ally for Anthrocon and the furry community in Pittsburgh. He's been genuinely good and thoughtful in how he does business with us, and he respects us. When AC was in other cities, no restaurant reached out to us like Fernando's has. Yes we have tried to build excellent relationships with the other restaurants in the city....but Fernando's is special to us. That's why I, along with so many others, are asking folks to please try to donate even a couple of dollars to this small businessman. Perhaps we can help save his business, perhaps we cannot. But let's at the very least...show him our gratitude for the dignity and respect he showed to us. Show him that as a community, furries care about those that care about us. And as an event, Anthrocon (and furry as a while) can demonstrate to the city of Pittsburgh, that we reciprocate when businesses treat us (as a group) as valued customers.
If you can spare any amount, please consider donating it to Fernando. You can do so by going to this journal entry and clicking the donate link:
http://unclekage.livejournal.com/140100.html
Remember, many little drops make a flood. Even if you can only give $1...when lots of us give that dollar..it adds up to a lot!
Thanks for listening folks, and being part of a great community.
KP
I know that people have heard a lot about this, but it can't be said enough right now.
There is a drive to help out our friend Fernando in Pittsburgh. For those that don't understand, let me spell this out very simply:
Fernando was the first business in Pittsburgh to openly embrace the idea of catering his business to Anthrocon for the duration of the convention. This included making t-shirts, renaming the restaurant, putting out little pawprints in sidewalk chalk to entice furries in, and serving food in dog bowls as part of special promotions.
Fernando openly communicates with the Anthrocon Board of Directors to try and work with the convention, and even undertook extra debt just to try and make his business run until AC2012.
Fernando literally took a rock (brick) to the head while making a hostile vagrant leave his establishment so that the furries that were there would feel safe.
Fernando has openly stated to the Pittsburgh media that Anthrocon is "the most important" event on his calendar. He's stated that we represent a full 25% of his annual revenue in one single weekend.
When Fernando realized that he wouldn't make it to AC2012, .. *HE CONTACTED US* to let us know about it. that's how important we have become to him. If we were just another customer, he wouldn't have bothered. But we're not....we're FRIENDS to this small business.
Now I'm not saying that we need to extend pity to this man or his business. I am saying that this man has proven himself to be a good ally for Anthrocon and the furry community in Pittsburgh. He's been genuinely good and thoughtful in how he does business with us, and he respects us. When AC was in other cities, no restaurant reached out to us like Fernando's has. Yes we have tried to build excellent relationships with the other restaurants in the city....but Fernando's is special to us. That's why I, along with so many others, are asking folks to please try to donate even a couple of dollars to this small businessman. Perhaps we can help save his business, perhaps we cannot. But let's at the very least...show him our gratitude for the dignity and respect he showed to us. Show him that as a community, furries care about those that care about us. And as an event, Anthrocon (and furry as a while) can demonstrate to the city of Pittsburgh, that we reciprocate when businesses treat us (as a group) as valued customers.
If you can spare any amount, please consider donating it to Fernando. You can do so by going to this journal entry and clicking the donate link:
http://unclekage.livejournal.com/140100.html
Remember, many little drops make a flood. Even if you can only give $1...when lots of us give that dollar..it adds up to a lot!
Thanks for listening folks, and being part of a great community.
KP
I want to say a very public THANK YOU to you for that act of kindness :)
Unfortunately, the reality of the economy for that area makes it unlikely that he can survive in the slower months following the convention this year.
If he's unable to remain in business, I will be one of many who will miss his establishment.
Whatever the outcome, this effort by our collective fandom members is nothing short of heartwarming and inspirational. Perhaps it will stimulate interest in the restaurant by the Pittsburgh locals.
The future is not entirely unpredictable. We can make well educated speculations about it. This isn't to say that I want Fernando's to go out of business. I surely don't. We'll see what we can do for him.
I'll be happy to donate, also. I'm glad everyone is pitching in on this :)
Now not surprisingly, there have been some whiners on this subject. Asking where were we when places like Steel City Diner and Cory's closed. Though I think they forgot or don't realize that we didn't know those places were in trouble until we got news they were closed. I would have happily donated to help out Steel City Diner or Cory's, but with no heads up or warning...there was sadly no chance.
Fernando's is the first place to give us a heads up, and I'm very happy we're making the best of it. While we don't know what the future will bring, I won't fret about it since what we're doing now is something special. A act of kindness can stick with people, and I'm sure this is something that Fernando and his staff won't forget.
I was introduced to the maple bacon doughnut by Uncle Kage, and Fernando was generous enough to give one to me free to try. I fell in love with it.
To hear of his restaurant's potential closing just breaks my heart. I made it a point to stop at his restaurant at least once every year to enjoy basic cuisine there. I've never been disappointed.
I love the guy, and the next time I see him, I'm giving him a big hug.
Fernando is eternal VIP for his amazing service.