Buckhead Tavern Takes in Some Displaced OK Cafe Employees

Restaurants in Buckhead are used to hosting holiday events for charitable causes and serving up delicious foods at fundraisers, but it’s a rare holiday season that they get to help out their own.

On Dec. 7, a fire broke out at OK Cafe, severely damaging the restaurant and putting around 100 staff members out of work while repairs are carried out. It’s not clear when the staff will return to their normal routine, but some of them are already being offered jobs at other restaurants while the cafe is out of commission.

According to WSB-TV, the newly-opened Buckhead Tavern has opened its doors to OK Cafe employees, offering them a familiar setting in which to work while they wait to return to the landmark eatery. WSB-TV says that Buckhead Tavern owner Johnny Esposito talked with OK Cafe ownership, who signed off on the arrangement.

Other restaurants are helping out, as well. Michael Anderson, who owns Portofino, donated 15 percent of the money his restaurant made on Tuesday to a fundraising campaign set up to financially support the displaced staff during the holiday season.

As of Thursday, that fund has swelled to $58,745, more than twice the $25,000 mark that was originally asked for.