I am sure some of you remember the great effort some of us made to help Dave at the Blue Star Deli, Show your support for the Blue Star Deli, well Dave sent out an email last Thursday letting some of us know that he was closing the doors on the place on Saturday the 21st.
I am sorry Dave lost his business, I, and many others, helped Dave with donations and patronage, and some of us just didn’t have that much to give, but we gave anyway, we blogged about it, we sent emails, we did everything we could do.
Below is the email I received from Dave tonight, Rich Glasgow at Isn’t it Rich also got the same email, I know this because I just got off the phone with him, read this email, it is posted exactly as it was sent, you can come to your own decision about gratitude…
On 9/24/07, Dave Mooney <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello to All,
Just wanted to drop a note and ask a few questions. You know that I am out of business. I have lost everything I dreamed of having in a business and what I did have. Let me tell you a little story. You know about a year ago I had this wonderful little restaurant and it was growing at a wonderful rate. Had never seen a decline in sales was making money and was enjoying it. Was all I could have dreamed of. I was enjoying sales of 12 to 18 hundred a day. Even had a couple of 2100 dollar days. I was ecstatic over the sales. Everything was doing great. Then the immigration stuff started in Farmers Branch. I was contacted by the local Radio Stations and was asked if they could do some live broadcast. And of course I wasn’t going to turn down free advertisement. I said yes bring it in. Of course we got a real big boost to our sales. But then after a week or two the sales dropped a little. I didn’t think anything of it. We of course were contacted again and asked to do more shows and of course I said sure. Well then some of the people against all of this immigration stuff got mad and called in the opposition. And that I did a real big number to us. Our sales started falling more but I just kept thinking it will come back. Then more shows happened and then the vote and boy we sure did feel it then. No one wanted to be around. Boycotts had been called against us and it did a number to us. I was ready to put it up for sale before I fell any farther in the hole. Then the news got out that I was going to sell do to low sales volumes and the boycotts. The radio stations picked up; all across the nation we got people trying to help us as long as the radio talked about us. We had our biggest day ever during this time period. We even got around a thousand dollars from people in the mail. I thought ok we can get thru this. I was contacted by one of the radio stations to do some more shows. I said sure it couldn’t hurt us anymore. I even gave the dates that were best but I left it open to what they wanted. They couldn’t even dignify me with a sorry we can’t do it. Then the radios all stopped talking about us and so did the sales. We fell to numbers lower then my first day of business ($498.00). I was now being boycotted by the illegal’s and the people who supported them and also the people who were against them were now staying away because they didn’t want to be around a political hot spot. They didn’t want to be around anywhere were the said items were being talked about. I had lost almost all my regular customers because they didn’t want to here it. The supporters quit coming because it was old news and no one was talking about it. The opponents quit coming because I supported it. And the radios quit talking about it. I was and still back what happened in Farmers Branch. I am for an immigration reform that is right. But the fact that I am now out of business because of my show of support that is known nation wide. I am now almost $25000.00 in the hole and behind on payments do to my falling sales. Now I sent an email out to everyone I have an email address to to let them know that I was out of business and do you think I could get a mention on these radio stations of what happened with me or even an I’m sorry . Not even one station mentioned me our sent me an apology. You have any ideas how I can pay for all these bills I can’t afford because I supported something that is right. I think I’m paying one hell of a price for this support. I am a loyal listener to all of these stations and I’m beginning to think they don’t care anymore. Only themselves. Anyways I just wanted to tell yall this little story. I hope these people will fix my slowly soaring attitude towards them. If not that is fine I understand I’m nothing to them. And I’m sure some of them might think that it’s all my own fault. But you know what I have the numbers to prove what I have just told yall. Yall helped to put me out of business. I should have known you wouldn’t keep up the push to support us thru all of this. But I just knew yall would do it. Boy was I wrong. Well Thanks everyone. I will now be working for the next 2 years just to pay of what we fell behind in trying to save my restaurant.
Dave Mooney
Blue Star Deli
Any errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar within the quoted text are those of the original author, Dave Mooney.
We at Lone Star Diary had a little something to do with getting the word out and I never received an email or thanks from Dave. I never worried too much about it because I just wanted to help “right the wrong” that I felt was being done to him because he was against illegal immigration. Oh well…
Yep, Murray at Lone Star Diary was the one that got the word to me if I remember correctly and is the reason I got involved…
Sorry to have you see it like this Murray, Rich was very disheartened too…
I’m very sorry to hear this news. It’s a sad state of affairs.
Sad state of affairs?? Yeah, I guess that’s as good a description as any…
Ya know, the free advertising wasn’t free…
All he had to do was say NO, a businessman can’t allow himself to be cornered, and taking a political stance is a gamble for a small businessman and can cost you everything you have, you have to ‘play the game’ to some extent when you’re relying on the public for your living and you can’t take sides, not unless you’re in possession of DROP DEAD money, and if you don’t know what DROP DEAD money is, you don’t have it…
And neither did Dave…
“Then the immigration stuff started in Farmers Branch. I was contacted by the local Radio Stations and was asked if they could do some live broadcast. And of course I wasn’t going to turn down free advertisement. I said yes bring it in. Of course we got a real big boost to our sales.”
The rest was sour grapes from someone who was gung ho as long as it was “Good for Him”. Things go south and it’s everyone else’s fault. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Been around those illegals too long down there apparently.
2 lousy years in business? Here’s a story for him.
My now deceased maternal grandfather was in the tool and die business here in Chicago for 40 +years buddy, and lost it all due to one major client, International Harvester, that stiffed him for 200 plus thousand 1982 dollars in owed invoices along with thousands of other small businessmen in their reorganization / bankruptcy and they then went on to be the all new successful conglomerate Navistar that never payed him or any of them a fk’n dime after rebuilding.
His retirement money.
He died nearly penniless 10 years later as a result, a once very successful 1925 German immigrant most all his life, WWII US Army Veteran and my proud and loving “Papa”.
Life’s tough many times, pick yourself up and move on buddy.
Pretty sad commentary that will not win any friends for sure.
Thanks for sharing the email Fred
I feel bad for the guy; he did get the short end of the stick. I do think he gambled by taking a political stance as a businessman. He lost the gamble, it sucks, the creeps won, and he’s many thousands of dollars short for it.
I would tell him that it’s NOT the end of the world, and he can move on to other things. It might be a tough row to hoe for a while, but it can certainly be done.
It just irks me to see the supporters of illegal invaders win in our own country.
In all wars there are casualties and Dave was a casualty of this war against illegal immigration. Does that mean we should all just roll over for the illegal immigrants and the ragheads? Not unless you want to get FUCKED even worse than Dave did. Dave lost a business. He is not the first nor will he be the last who lost a business..been there and done that myself but like thousands of others I pulled up my pants and started over and made it the second time..some have had to do it three or four times before they wre successful.
The point is that if we back off and let the left wing have their way with us this country will no longer be the republic that the illegals want to come to because it will be flat assed broke and just like the shitholes that the illegals are fleeing from. I hope that Dave has the character to dig down deep inside and find a way to start over again..maybe in a better location where he has more support of his ideas.
Buck up Dave and learn your lesson. Politics and business do not mix. I don’t really care if you don’t like it, it’s a fact. Too many of us have been in business for ourselves…me since 1987 and have learned the lesson.
I give a ton of money to Texas republicans every year, it’s in the public record. I DO NOT ever discuss it with my clients and most of them don’t search the internet looking for my political contributions.
Wise up and get off rear-end and start over. You’re not the first person to fall and make a mistake. There is no shame in making mistakes, only shame in not learning from them and getting back up and starting again.
Sam
.
.
When one door closes another door opens.
He needs to stop crying and do something to save his business, no one lost his business but him.
Whoa is me doesn’t work in my world, there are opportunities here that he needs to get his hands around and change his situation.
I wish him only the best but he needs to change his world and stop waiting for others to do it for him.
That has been my wife’s favorite saying for years, and she had to say it to me quite a few times after I had the 2nd heart attack and heart surgery, that one cost me the business I had been 5 years in building and we had to redirect our lives and efforts, but ya know, I never blamed anyone, I didn’t go on a site and cry about it, I didn’t sue the doctor that did the 2nd heart surgery because it didn’t ‘take’, it’s just a part of life and the hand we’re dealt, and you play the cards, and if you don’t have the guts to get up when life knocks you down, and go for it again, have the decency to keep your mouth shut and take your crybaby bullshit elsewhere…
Sorry Dave, but after I, and quite a few others took our time and gave our money to help you, I take this as a personal insult, if you’re not man enough to stand up and say “I messed up and made a bad decision”, a decision that you yourself said was motivated by a desire for FREE advertising, well, anyway, stand up and take it like a man, it wasn’t the fault of ANY of the radio hosts, you let them in, they didn’t force you, and in your little tirade blasting everyone you never once said a word acknowledging the efforts of the blog world that came to your defense…
Bad form Dave, very bad form…
He could always re-open a Mexican Restaurant that caters to Illegals. He could have items on the menu like:
The Bush Burritto.
Cheney Chili.
Haliburton Jalapeno.
Mad Dash Hash Taco.
Over the fence fish taco.
Just to name a few.
Damn Ranando, that’s COLD man, way cold…
Wow…just wow !
Buck up, Fred - I had 2 heart attacks at age 35 (in one week), emergency triple bypass at age 49, and another heart attack at 51. I’m now 61.
It ain’t over by a long shot, and your wife has the right attitude:)
Bruce, I ain’t heard the Fat Lady sing…
You know, Fred, you say that’s cold — but if Dave DID do something like that and couch it in terms that were phrased “against” the US, just as Ranando writes, I hate to say it, but I bet he’d get some of his clientele back. In any event, I find it dispiriting to read his e-mail knowing the climate of the small business world in general. Restaurants and small food businesses are THE most difficult businesses to make successful. They can be killed by simple local word of mouth, much less a nationwide push. I find his overall attitude less than expected. He made the decisions, not me, not you. And this coupled with the fact that I too sent him a check, for $100, from my personal account. It’s a helluva commentary on the power behind ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION but to be expected in our entitlement-driven country. I just never thought it’d happen in Texas.
BZ
Reading this was the first I’ve ever head of Blue Star Deli or any of his problems. But, reading his email I’ve come up with this conclusion. Correct me if I’m wrong.
a. Deli owner takes stand against illegal immigration
b. Deli owner accepts radio shows against illegal immigration in hopes of free advertisement.
c. Illegal immigrants and their supporters upset at Deli owner and boycott deli.
d. Local American citizens don’t have kahnoas to go against illegal immigrants; abandon deli
f. Bloggers and radio stations nationwide hear of problem. Blog and talk about deli owners problems, soliciting support.
g. People from around country send money to help out.
i. Business continues to drop. Money stops coming in from unknown supporters. Deli closes doors.
j. Deli owner blames people that tried to help saying “Yall helped to put me out of business. I should have known you wouldn’t keep up the push to support us thru all of this. But I just knew yall would do it. Boy was I wrong. Well Thanks everyone”.
k. Deli owner now has to get job to pay bills, just like the rest of us.