INDIANAPOLIS — A popular downtown restaurant is coming through for its employees after losing business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The owners of Downtown Olly's applied for and received a loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program. Now they will be able to pay their employees for the next several weeks.
"It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. You don't run into people, especially business owners, that really care about their employees," Bonnie Matula, a bartender, said. "They just went out and got a business to make sure all of us can live because a lot of our unemployments haven't went through."
Matula gave the owners, David and Peggy Brandon, credit for everything they've done for their employees during this crisis. The Brandons tried doing carryout, but the reason people come to Downtown Olly's is why that didn't work.
"They really enjoy the interaction of being in Olly's, seeing their friends and having that camaraderie with each other and among the staff, and it really did feel the same without having that connection," David Brandon said.
The Brandons had to close their doors, but they wanted to do everything they could for their staff, so when the Paycheck Protection Program was announced, they applied the very first day.
"it actually took one week," David said. "We applied on Friday, and it was in our bank account the next Friday."
The money will help pay all their employees for the next 10 weeks. As they figure out the unemployment check situation, David has some advice for other small business owners hoping to participate in the program.
"Make sure you have all the paperwork prepared ahead of time and it's accurate information so that when they get it, they can quickly review the documents and forward it on to the SBA, Small Business Administration, which ultimately has to approve your loan in order for the bank to fund it," he said.
Matula said said the whole Olly's crew is like one big family, and it starts at the top with the Brandons who are trying to help employees get through a tough time.
"it just shows good faith in people, you know? Good people still exist," Matula said.
