Click to enlarge In early May, the US Small Business Administration opened applications for its Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a $ 28.6 billion grant program that went to support restaurants, bars, and other food and beverage outlets Quickly run out of money and closed on July 2nd. (A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, has since passed a bill to replenish the fund with an additional $ 60 billion.) Last Friday, under pressure from the Independent, the SBA released Restaurant Coalition’s list of RRF fellows – more than 100,000 companies across the country. Here in Arizona, 1,325 companies received RRF aid, totaling nearly $ 300 million. Recipients range from a Chandler food truck called the Wok This Way, which received $ 4,000, to the Mexkor Restaurant Group, which received a whopping $ 3.6 million from the fund. According to government records, Mexkor is managed by German Osio from the Osio Culinary Group, which operates Scottsdale restaurants Local Bistro and SumoMaya. Mexkor also received more than $ 1 million in PPP loans last year. I Support Local Community Journalism Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of the New Times clear. Another big recipient of funds was JJ Holmes LLC, which received $ 3.3 million. The company owns and operates the local chain JJ’s Grub Shack. Federal Court records indicate that its owner, Jeffrey Holmes, was with his Avondale landlord over a $ 240,000 replacement rent allegedly owed by a Native Grill and Wings franchise that Holmes operated at the start of the pandemic closed, is involved in a lawsuit. TLB Hospitality LLC received $ 3.2 million in funding. According to state records, the Scottsdale company is run by Louis Basile, President and founder of the Wildflower Bread Company. Scottsdale Boondocks LLC, which operates the Boondocks Patio and Grill in Old Town Scottsdale, received $ 2.7 million. In May, a former waiter and bartender sued Boondocks for unpaid wages and other violations of state and federal law. Further down the list is Linger Longer Entertainment LLC, the company behind Genuine Concepts, which runs the well-known Valley establishments The Vig and The Womack (which are still closed). It netted $ 760,000 from the RRF. Gracie’s Tax Bar got $ 377,000. The RRF database, which you can search by city, state, or company name, can be found here.
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