On Thursday, November 26th, the offices of We Sell Restaurants will be closed. We will be joining with friends and family to offer our thanks for a tumultuous year that we are sure everyone wants to see in the rearview mirror.
As we offer our thanks on that day, we are grateful first and foremost, for our amazing team in the corporate office. One of our core values is to, “Create a Customer Service Experience Worth Sharing” and our team’s commitment to that value is unwavering. Each day they arrive ready to help restaurant buyers, restaurant sellers and those just beginning their journey into the business. Their passion and concern for the customer is truly unmatched. We are so thankful they are in our lives. We are also grateful for our marketing team and their efforts to share our message consistently and powerfully amidst a challenging and changing business environment this year.
We offer up so much thanks for our franchisees, our agents and their agents this season. Despite a terrible worldwide pandemic affecting this industry, our Restaurant Brokers have met their responsibilities undaunted and worked relentlessly to assist sellers. They have worked with those in very tough situations, calmed the fears of restaurant buyers and learned more about PPP, EIDLP and other programs to assist those in need than ever anticipated. For many, that included just listening and providing encouragement amidst heartbreaking stories of restaurant owners seeking help and answers when government failed and science, in the eye of whomever made the call, shut down their livelihood, their dream and their income overnight. Our Restaurant Brokers switched gears from sales to counselors, from attracting buyers to support on PPP and EIDLP filings, from lease transfers to assistance on rent abatement, all without batting an eye. We are forever grateful they rose to the challenge.
We are also grateful for the leadership provided by franchisees who work in their communities to provide help and support to those in need. We Sell Restaurants in Broward and Palm Beach County raised awareness for hunger and drove donations of $1000 to support families in that market who would be hungry this Thanksgiving without this assistance. We Sell Restaurants Colorado led a drive to fill up the tanks of health care workers and restaurant workers the midst of the pandemic. We are grateful that the We Sell Restaurants Charitable Foundation was able to match those funds and double the response to the communities and we will distribute more funds by the end of this year.
We are also thankful to the American spirit and commitment to entrepreneurship that lives within so many in our country. Early in the onset of the virus, Eric penned an article titled, “Will Restaurant Buyers be the Next American Heroes?” His words were insightful and prophetic as we witness the stock market hit a new record this week. Despite the pandemic, transactions are set to hit a new high at We Sell Restaurants in 2020. Restaurant buyers showed commitment to the power of the U.S. economy, the single most powerful economy on the planet, to rebound from this event. We are grateful that so many see a path forward to robust growth and economic prosperity for this industry despite the tough days many are still facing. We are thankful that multiple vaccines have been created with incredibly high success rates at truly “Warp Speed” and faster than anything previously brought to market to allay the fears of a nation tired of a disease and ready to move forward.
We are grateful that 2020 occurred so that we can cherish and appreciate the many people in our lives and the opportunities we are all given to succeed. We are grateful for our families, our friends and each other, along with the blessing of health. We have missed seeing so many in person and sharing a hug. That includes our friends in franchising, our counterparts in brokerage and our teams in the field. Most of all, we are thankful that 2020 will soon be over and 2021 is on the horizon. We wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving and celebration of blessings you hold dear.
We would be remiss if we ignored the opportunities in the market. Many of our sellers have put blockbuster opportunities together that are offered only until the end of the year. Here is a link to amazing Black Friday deals on restaurants for sale.