Diner auctions off artwork after closing due to COVID-19, gives proceeds to another struggling restaurant
Mary맥스카지노™s Gourmet Diner, a restaurant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, had to close for good after coronavirus restrictions halted business.
But that did not stop Mary Haglund from helping another business on the way out.
Haglund auctioned off the iconic paintings hanging from the walls of her diner.
맥스카지노œThere were 29 paintings and they were cartoons created for me and my restaurant,맥스카지노 she said.
Haglund posted some of the paintings on social media and she could not believe the response.
맥스카지노œI was like okay this painting is up for auction and people would start having bidding wars!맥스카지노 Haglud said.
Haglund made $5,000 from the paintings in her diner. Instead of taking the money as a parting gift for herself, she gave it to La Botana, a local Mexican restaurant.
맥스카지노œWe were talking the other day and she asked if it had been hard on you guys. We said, 'Yeah, we are already four months behind on rent,'맥스카지노 Rigo Velasquez, with La Botana, said.
La Botana is Haglund's favorite Mexican restaurant in town. She's become great friends with the owners, July and Rigo.
맥스카지노œI lost my breath. I had to sit down, man. Not only her, people who walked in with $100, $200, $300 bucks,맥스카지노 Rigo Velasquez said.
Haglund said it was the least she could do. She couldn맥스카지노™t see her friends lose their business they worked so hard for.
맥스카지노œWhen you can pay it forward like that, it맥스카지노™s not even a choice. Of course, I맥스카지노™m going to help these people. This is a family-owned business,맥스카지노 Haglund said.
In August, a new restaurant is expected to take the spot of Mary맥스카지노™s Gourmet Diner.
Michael Millan, who was the majority owner of Mary맥스카지노™s Diner for the last two years, is opening Mojito Latin Soul Food.