A Green Bay Packer bar in New York City struggling with the coronavirus pandemic has received a “Hail Mary” pass – from Aaron Rodgers.
The star quarterback helped Kettle of Fish in Greenwich Village by sharing the GoFundMe connection from the waterhole last week.
“We were absolutely delighted,” owner Patrick Daley, 65, said on Monday about Rodgers’ help.
Built in 1950, the bar has a reputation as a literary meeting place for people like Bob Dylan, Norman Mailer and Jack Kerouac.
After Daley, a former employee, bought the joint from previous owners, it gradually turned into a favorite place for Packer fans looking for a taste of the house.
“It’s a full-fledged Packers bar on Christopher Street,” said Daley, who is originally from Wisconsin, and has lived in the Big Apple since the 1980s.
Rodgers even visited the pub last April, the first day of the NFL draft, on a brief trip to New York.
“He was just going to stop at the kettle for 10 minutes” on the way to Teterboro Airport, Daley recalls.
Instead, “he stayed for 45 minutes and canceled his flight”.
“We had a ball,” added Daley. “He’s really a cool guy. He was modest, self-assured, with a great sense of humor. “
The Kettle was forced to close in mid-March due to the virus, and although it now serves take-out drinks, it could not open to sit outside because it didn’t there is no parking outside, said the owner.
As the effects of the pandemic continued, Daley said he had caved in to regulars who had begged him to start a fundraiser for the bar.
On Thursday, Rodgers shared a photo of him at The Kettle from last year’s visit, as well as the link to GoFundMe and #savethekettle.
“It really gave us a really good boost,” including getting Green Bay outlets to cover the bar fight, said Daley.
The bar had raised $ 58,000 from its $ 100,000 goal on Monday evening.
“We are just trying to stay alive,” said Daley.
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