Looks like another Austin establishment is taking a stance against Trump. The Aristocrat Lounge announced its plans to donate 100% of its Inauguration Day profits to important organizations in a statement posted Sunday afternoon on their Facebook page.
Here’s what the post says…
Friday, January 20th, we will be donating 100% of our profits to the following organizations:
The ACLU
The Southern Poverty Law Center
SafePlaceWe’ll have a fun cocktail menu for the evening and some lovely new beers on tap. Please join us in helping to support these organizations and the fine work they do.
Cheers!
The statement is yet another name in Austin’s restaurant industry to defy Trump. Just a few days ago we published a story detailing Bouldin Creek Café’s plans to donate their Inauguration Day profits to similar organizations. And according to Austin Kalman, Aristocrat Lounge’s general manager, Bouldin Creek’s announcement inspired them to do the same.
“[Aristocrat Lounge] participates in charity events and donations regularly,” explained Kalman, “so when I saw [Bouldin Creek Café’s] post, we figured [Inauguration Day] was a good day to do something similar.” To support its efforts, the bar created a Facebook event, ‘Drinking Helps.’
Kalman further informed us of King Bee Lounge, an eastside dive-bar that’s also aiming to support organizations that face uncertainty in the coming days.
King Bee’s Billy Hankey says the bar plans to donate a percentage of this month’s gross sales to Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, the organization’s advocacy and political program.
“[Since election night], we’ve noticed people saying they were nervous, or unsure of what to do next,” explained Hankey. “We felt that it was time to start somewhere…to help support the organizations we support, and the organizations people need.” Hankey says he hopes this initial burst of action throughout Austin continues past Inauguration Day.
These two bars aren’t alone is their stance against Trump. Their announcements come at a time when many local and non-local restaurants are choosing inclusion. Austin restaurants L’Oca d’Oro and Black Star Co-op recently pledged to make their dining rooms into “safe spaces,” joining a nation-wide movement within the restaurant industry to stop harassment based on immigration status, sexuality, religious affiliation, or ethnicity.
With a growing list of Austin restaurants vowing to challenge the incoming administration’s agenda, we’re eager to see whether or not other Austin restaurants do the same.
Featured image by Gage Skidmore on Flickr, Creative Commons licensed
