One bar is doing its best to reverse some of the damage that’s already been done by Trump’s administration.
Coup, short for “coup d’état,” opens today in Manhattan and plans to donate 100 percent of its profits to charity. It’s the brainchild of restauranteur Ravi DeRossi. He conceptualized the bar ― and its mission ― after President Trump was elected in November. DeRossi told The Huffington Post that at the time, he felt angry, hurt and betrayed.
“I didn’t go into work for a couple days,” DeRossi told HuffPost on Friday. When he finally did get out of his bed and into some of the restaurants he owns (like Death & Company, Mother of Pearl and Cienfuegos), DeRossi found that most of New York ― and his employees ― felt the same way he did. His bartenders and staff, some of whom are immigrants, were upset and worried. Some wondered if they were going to lose their health insurance.
One night in January, DeRossi finally figured out just how he was going to fight the current administration. Over drinks with his business partner, Sother Teague, Teague told him about a charity salon in Houston, Texas called Okra (Organized Kollaboration on Restaurant Affairs). According to Okra’s website, every time patrons buy a drink, they can cast a vote for one of four local charities. At the end of each month, the charity with the most votes get the next month of proceeds. Thus, the idea for Coup was born. More about this bar can be found on Huffington Post here.
