An OPEN LETTER
Today is Day 17 of zero income. This is our new reality as our small business was forced to close because of COVID-19. We know the closure is necessary in the interest of public health, because we’re all in this together, but that doesn’t make it any less painful to board up the wine bar of our dreams for an indefinite amount of time.
We wrote to our landlord last week, asking for rent abatement. We believe there should be an immediate freeze on rent payments for small business tenants during the shelter-in-place order, so San Francisco’s service industry isn’t completely decimated by the pandemic.
A week after our request for a rent freeze, we receive a response from our landlord. It’s a “no” but wrapped in the pretty package of 4 months of rent “deferment,” along with the helpful suggestion we discuss our situation with our insurance carrier, as our landlord “believe[s] this is an insurable event. This [the ability to get this covered by insurance] is obviously a key component to all of our success and ability to reopen successfully,” they say.
“Obviously.” Only, we’ve already discussed “our situation” with our insurance carrier weeks ago, anticipating the closure. They say this is not an insurable event. Not just our insurance carrier, but pretty much every insurance carrier in the country has an exclusion for claims stemming from viruses. The industry inserted these exclusions into most standard policies following the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s.
So back to their response. Deferment. What does it mean? It means we don’t have to pay our rent now, which is great, right? Well, you know what’s not so great? Debt accumulation.
If the pandemic continues for several more months—which most scientists say it will—we will be $24,000 in debt to our landlord. That’s a lot of money to us. And if we learn from China, the hospitality industry will continue to be hit hard long after people are no longer sheltering in place. If, through no fault of our own, bars and other small businesses cannot earn any income, why should we be expected to pay bills as usual, and allow large landlords continue to earn income? We’re all in this together. Or at least we thought we were.
Equity Residential, our landlord, brings in $2.6 billion in annual revenue and has $21.2 billion in assets. They have the ability and means to be leaders in corporate responsibility and significantly help small business tenants, but they’re not. (Oh, and their stock price is surging along with the number of coronavirus cases).
If they aren’t going to take it upon themselves to step up and help their small commercial tenants, then someone needs to tell them to do it.
We need for Governor Newsom to enact an immediate freeze on rent for residential and small business tenants during the COVID-19 crisis.
And yes, we do understand landlords have similar obligations to pay their mortgages, so their burden must be eased as well. There must be a freeze on mortgages so property owners, especially smaller landlords, can afford to forgo rent during the period businesses must remain closed.
The New York State Senate and Assembly is already working to enact a bill that would offer a 90-day rent freeze for residential tenants and small businesses (defined as fewer than 100 employees). California must do the same.
On March 24, SF Supervisors Matt Haney, Hillary Ronen, and Dean Preston introduced a resolution calling for rents and mortgages to be frozen and forgiven during this crisis, and we are asking everyone reading this to get behind this resolution.
The longer these days with zero income continue without a freeze on rent, the less likely it is that many of us small businesses will make it to the other side of this. When we boarded up our wine bar, we intended it to be temporary. And we are doing everything in our power to ensure it’s only temporary. So please help ensure a swift economic recovery for small businesses by supporting the rent and mortgage moratorium. As Haney wrote it his Chronicle Op-Ed recently: Post about it, talk about it, call your elected officials and demand it.
We wrote to our landlord last week, asking for rent abatement. We believe there should be an immediate freeze on rent payments for small business tenants during the shelter-in-place order, so San Francisco’s service industry isn’t completely decimated by the pandemic.
A week after our request for a rent freeze, we receive a response from our landlord. It’s a “no” but wrapped in the pretty package of 4 months of rent “deferment,” along with the helpful suggestion we discuss our situation with our insurance carrier, as our landlord “believe[s] this is an insurable event. This [the ability to get this covered by insurance] is obviously a key component to all of our success and ability to reopen successfully,” they say.
“Obviously.” Only, we’ve already discussed “our situation” with our insurance carrier weeks ago, anticipating the closure. They say this is not an insurable event. Not just our insurance carrier, but pretty much every insurance carrier in the country has an exclusion for claims stemming from viruses. The industry inserted these exclusions into most standard policies following the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s.
So back to their response. Deferment. What does it mean? It means we don’t have to pay our rent now, which is great, right? Well, you know what’s not so great? Debt accumulation.
If the pandemic continues for several more months—which most scientists say it will—we will be $24,000 in debt to our landlord. That’s a lot of money to us. And if we learn from China, the hospitality industry will continue to be hit hard long after people are no longer sheltering in place. If, through no fault of our own, bars and other small businesses cannot earn any income, why should we be expected to pay bills as usual, and allow large landlords continue to earn income? We’re all in this together. Or at least we thought we were.
Equity Residential, our landlord, brings in $2.6 billion in annual revenue and has $21.2 billion in assets. They have the ability and means to be leaders in corporate responsibility and significantly help small business tenants, but they’re not. (Oh, and their stock price is surging along with the number of coronavirus cases).
If they aren’t going to take it upon themselves to step up and help their small commercial tenants, then someone needs to tell them to do it.
We need for Governor Newsom to enact an immediate freeze on rent for residential and small business tenants during the COVID-19 crisis.
And yes, we do understand landlords have similar obligations to pay their mortgages, so their burden must be eased as well. There must be a freeze on mortgages so property owners, especially smaller landlords, can afford to forgo rent during the period businesses must remain closed.
The New York State Senate and Assembly is already working to enact a bill that would offer a 90-day rent freeze for residential tenants and small businesses (defined as fewer than 100 employees). California must do the same.
On March 24, SF Supervisors Matt Haney, Hillary Ronen, and Dean Preston introduced a resolution calling for rents and mortgages to be frozen and forgiven during this crisis, and we are asking everyone reading this to get behind this resolution.
The longer these days with zero income continue without a freeze on rent, the less likely it is that many of us small businesses will make it to the other side of this. When we boarded up our wine bar, we intended it to be temporary. And we are doing everything in our power to ensure it’s only temporary. So please help ensure a swift economic recovery for small businesses by supporting the rent and mortgage moratorium. As Haney wrote it his Chronicle Op-Ed recently: Post about it, talk about it, call your elected officials and demand it.
who we are
We’re a fun bar in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood that serves awesome, local wine, beer, and food. We help you “wine down” your day while also bringing wine down to earth. Want to know more? Drop in and say hello!
Special events & Hours
In the interest of the greater good, we are closed for the time being.
If you'd like to purchase bottles (for pickup at Wine Down when we re-open), check out our list here.
LOCKDOWN W/WINE DOWN Schedule:
Want to host a future event or make a reservation? Click here!
Regular Hours
Open at 2 pm every day
Happiest Hours run 2-6 pm
If you'd like to purchase bottles (for pickup at Wine Down when we re-open), check out our list here.
LOCKDOWN W/WINE DOWN Schedule:
- Fri, 4/3- Sat 4/4: FLASH SALE: BEER & CIDER
- Surprise Altamont DARK BEER 4-pk + Tin City CIDER (rosé or apple) 4-pk
- $40 (reg price $57)
- Fri, 4/4: FRIENDLY FRIDAY
- Do something nice for someone today. Check out our ideas here.
- Tag your IG story or post with @winedownsf
- You’ll have a Good Karma Chambong waiting for you when we re-open.
- Sun, 4/5: FLASH SALE: WE’LL EXERCISE AGAIN ONE DAY
- Buy a tank, get a post-workout Chambong reward
- Want to get in a work out before you wine down?
- Check out our compilation of online workouts, including local studios you can support from your living room
- Mon, 4/6: MORE STARS MONDAY
- Post 5-star reviews of all of your favorite local small businesses to show them love now, and give them an extra boost for when they re-open
- Tues, 4/7: FLASH SALE: CHAMBONG 10-PK
- Pre-Order 10 Chambongs via the Good Karma Board
- $75 (reg price $100)
Want to host a future event or make a reservation? Click here!
Regular Hours
Open at 2 pm every day
Happiest Hours run 2-6 pm