It’s hard for us to put into words just how important community support is to small businesses. We see mom and pop shops come and go far more than we’d like to admit. So when we came upon this story of a town rallying around a staple restaurant, our hearts practically melted. Read on for a tale of the power of social media and supporting local.
The Fisherman has called Phoenixville home since it opened back in 1960. Serving affordable breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes to its faithful customers was something the restaurant took pride in. Recently, The Fisherman restaurant fell on tough times. No longer did the once bustling spot need five waitresses to run the place. When Facebook user Johnny Marie stopped in and heard the tale of this Phoenixville staple closing, he knew he had to do something.
Johnny Marie took to Facebook, posting in the group “You Know You’re From Phoenixville When…” to urge locals to stop in and spend their money locally. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re ever driving past the Fisherman...Right off 23…Stop in and grab a bite to eat. The food is good and cheap…And I just know it’ll put a smile across the owner’s face to see his booths filling up one by one. Do a good thing and stop in.”
And that’s exactly what Phoenixville locals did. No sooner did Johnny Marie create a Facebook page for The Fisherman than the customers start flooding in. When phily.com blogger Michael Klein called Sunday afternoon, an employee let him know they were a bit overwhelmed, but happy about the turnaround.
You can find The Fisherman located at 440 Schuylkill Rd. in Phoenixville; phone: (610) 993-7340.
Photo credits: The Fisherman.
