In January of 2013, The Hammered Lamb opened its doors in Ivanhoe Village.

Since then, we’ve welcomed every person who has stepped into our building with a train shot in one hand and…oh, a second train shot in the other.

We have had the extraordinary privilege of bearing witness to some of the most significant moments in people’s lives. Over the last few days since announcing that we have been struggling and would need to close two days a week, the stories have flooded in.

A woman who met her now husband here for their first date, who now wears a bracelet every day with the coordinates of our building etched into it.

A couple who came in the day following the loss of their first pet, who found solace in the noise and laughter echoing around them during a busy brunch.

A group of ER nurses who came in after their shifts to commiserate and comfort one another.

A community who came together under our roof to grieve after 49 of our friends lost their lives in an act of senseless violence.

A city who, with an abundance of caution, emerged from a global shutdown and felt safe with us.

Over the last 12 years (and really, even before that) Jason Lambert has opened his doors for over 30 nonprofit organizations, multiple philanthropic causes and countless political campaigns - raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations for those respective causes.

To him, this is not just a bar. It’s not just a space where memories are made and families are formed. To him, this has always been a vehicle for change. A place where compassion comes first because that is the only way we have any chance at making this world a little better. If we aren’t here to walk each other home, then what is it really all for? All we have in this life is one another.

The construction projects that are currently happening on Orange Ave and all around Orlando is to make necessary improvements to our infrastructure. Once this project is complete, another is slotted to take place to continue to improve our neighborhood. Currently, we’re facing at least another year and a half of road closures, detours, and limited parking.

The City of Orlando does not currently have anything in place to help the small businesses that exist in the neighborhoods where this is occurring. Trust us, we’ve asked. Over and over and over again.

That, combined with the impending closure to public use of the parking lot on Alden Rd. is just another blow giving folks a reason to find a different neighborhood to hang out in.

Last September before the construction began, we were on track to have a record year after surviving the pandemic and building up sales back-up from that. Since then, we have been down in sales 30-50% weekly. And it’s not just us. It’s the entire neighborhood. Every small business surrounding us has taken an extreme hit and it is in no way sustainable, especially considering the way the cost of everything has gone up.

We know that this is eventually going to pass - but we have a team of people whom we’ve grown to love like family that stand to lose so much more while we wait. Jason has personally taken out loan after loan to make sure everyone has jobs to come back to and help offset the lack of business. But his financial resources are not bottomless, and all of our options have been exhausted.

So now, we’re looking to you. Our community. Our home. It is an extremely humbling experience to have to ask for help, but we need it. We don’t want to lose what we’ve built, and we want to keep making memories with all of you, our family.

If you aren’t able to donate, we hope you’ll share the link and spread the word.

On Saturday, September 14th, we'll be holding a fundraising event throughout the day with all of our closest friends from 10am - 10pm, hopefully including you. Music, entertainment, and Hot Boi Spring shots all around. Stay on the lookout for more details in the next few days!

And when you’re done with that, maybe come in and grab a drink with us? I think I hear a train coming…

Sam Adams Utopias 2021