‘Two Broke Bartenders and a Truck’ expands to Chattanooga, helps locals impacted by coronavirus closures

March 27, 2020

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – It’s a new start-up that started in Memphis by some restaurant owners.

“After COVID and everything they were forced to shutdown so they came up with another business model just about getting like all of their team members active and what can they do now,” Two Broke Bartenders Dispatcher Lauren Cooley said.

So, they started “Two Broke Bartenders and a Truck.”

It’s an online platform that links up people with services like grocery pickup and yard work.

It also provides jobs to folks in the service industry who may have recently lost theirs.

“I think this concept is good because you’re still able to kind of able to give back to people and get that sense that you had working in the restaurant and taking care of your guests in some way,” Cooley said.

Cooley said she was directly affected by mandated coronavirus closures.

Not only was she laid off, but so was her husband and many of their friends.

“Kind of the shock of nobody was expecting it you know kind of sank in and not having any other source of income because typically if you’re a server you’ll go to another serving job, you know, but now you don’t even have that choice. So, I think it’s a lot of, well what can I do now,” she said.

Cooley said that Two Broke Bartenders has brought excitement for people ready to get back to work.

She said they’ve rounded up to do the jobs 15 local workers, including bartenders.

“From local restaurants like Stir, Universal Joint, Chattanooga Billiards Club and servers and even some managers signed up from Big River and Pucketts,” Cooley said.

They’re working on launching a Two Broke Bartenders app and hope to start providing services to people in Chattanooga on Monday.

Cooley said the services they will provide are not limited, they’re open to suggestions to meet people’s needs.

The following is a list of services from their website:

Yard Work: Mowing, bagging leaves, power washing, mulching, weeding, pruning, leaf blowing, fertilizing, all your gardening needs
Handyman: Home maintenance, painting, fixes, patches, putting Ikea furniture together, minor carpentry, plumbing, and electric,…nothing that requires a license or permit.
Debris and junk removal: Yard debris, downed trees, junk from your attic or garage, construction debris
Moving: Deliver furniture, deliver and install appliances, rearrange your living room, move belongings to another house.
Pickup and delivery: Shopping, food orders, liquor store orders, errands, courier service, stand in line for you at the DMV
Food and Bev: Our chefs and bartenders can plan and execute your Covid-19-proof dinner parties and get togethers
Tech: Installation, debugging, and troubleshooting, on site or remote.
Cleaning: Homes, offices, sanitizing, organizing, cleaning out your garage or basement? We can help.