Coronavirus: Realtor Buys Restaurant Gift Cards, Gives Them Away

CHICAGO — Since the state-ordered shutdown Monday of all dine-in services at restaurants and bars to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, one Mount Greenwood neighborhood Realtor bought 25 gift certificates, each from a different eatery in the 19th Ward and nearby suburbs. Rhett Graves of The Online Realty Professionals then gave all of them away on his Facebook page Wednesday.

"The restaurant people ... those are the ones who have had their businesses altered the most," Graves said. "I tried to put myself in their shoes. There's so much uncertainty, especially if you are a waiter or waitress and rely on tips. And there's the business owners who still have to pay the lease, their home mortgage and balance other things as well."

Graves printed out the names of the 200 or so people who liked a Facebook post he made announcing his plan to give the gift cards away, picked 25 in a random draw and then matched them with the restaurants from which he bought the gift certificates.

The 25 Facebook users won a $25 gift card for the business Graves matched them with, which include Bacon 'n Jam, Wiseguys, Top Notch, Fontano's Subs, Beverly Bakery, Taco Jaliscience, Joseph's Restaurant, Americanos, Pop’s Italian Beef, Wonderburger, Horse Thief Hollow, Ken's On Western, Open Outcry, Nine One One BBQ Shack, Original Pancake House - Beverly, The Black Oak, Swanson's Deli, Bialy's, Ain’t She Sweet Café, AndySunflower Cafe, Calabria Imports, Diggity Dogs, Firewater Saloon, Franconello and Fox’s Beverly Pub.

"It is by no means an exhaustive list of all those out there that need help," said Graves, who hopes this effort encourages others to also buy gift certificates "to help keep people in the community afloat" while access to restaurants is restricted.

It was "a humbling experience" heading out the few days before the draw to purchase the gift cards, Graves said.

"Everyone was really appreciative," he said. "One (business owner) was particularly taken aback, and another said this will help them pay their electricity for the month."

It's these restaurants that "are the first to sponsor your Little League team, a church fundraiser or lend a helping hand," Graves said.

"Now we can stand together as a community and help them."