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TN wildfires: Alamo Steakhouse owner says employees maintain salaries

"Without employees, a business is just four walls. You can do nothing without them," Kelly Johnson said as she expressed appreciation for her staff.

<p><span class="cutline js-caption" style="display: block; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold;">The Alamo Steakhouse was lost to out of control wild fires in Gatlinburg causing a mandatory evacuation Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016.</span><span class="credit" style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">(Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)</span></p>

"Without employees, a business is just four walls. You can do nothing without them," Kelly Johnson said as she expressed appreciation for her staff.

Johnson is the owner of the Alamo Steakhouse in Gatlinburg, which was destroyed Monday, Nov. 28, following the wildfires that swept through the city.

In a meeting Friday, Dec. 2, Johnson gathered employees from the Gatlinburg location as well as employees of the Alamo Steakhouse in Pigeon Forge — which she also owns — to announce that the company would continue to pay the Gatlinburg employees their full salary for the next year.

She was hesitant to discuss the information publicly as she doesn't want the decision to come across as boastful or deserving of special attention. The reason for the good fortune in the middle of a disaster is due to two things — working for an organization that has nine other eateries under the Johnson Family of Restaurants umbrella — and an insurance policy that Johnson's father, Bruce Johnson insisted be maintained on all business holdings. Other eateries owned by the Johnson family include three Big Daddy's Pizzeria, one Mama's Farmhouse restaurant, two Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que and two Mad Dog's Creameries.

"The Alamo that burned was 18 years old. It was started by my dad and has been in my family for a really long time," she said. There were approximately 35 employees at that location that will be eligible for the extended salary. In addition, employees that are unable to work at their other Gatlinburg restaurants because of the city being closed will also be compensated until those facilities can be reopened.

"We have three others in Gatlinburg; a Big Daddy's Pizzeria, a Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que and a Mad Dog's Creamery," she said.

Each location will need to be cleaned, have existing food discarded and a new supply of food products ordered and organized before each can reopen.

"That will require a few days of sifting through rotten potato salad. But once we can empty, reorder and clean everything, we hope to be reopened by next Friday (Dec. 9)," Johnson said.

The insurance policy that will compensate employees for up to a year is something Bruce Johnson has had in place for years.

"Many years ago, we purchased business interruption insurance and it covers something called ordinary payroll. It even covers tips for the servers. Many businesses don't carry this insurance because it is cost prohibitive but my father is a big believer in over insuring. He has always said to get more than you think you need. The ability to pay our employees during this time comes back to his good foresight," she said.

The salary collection process already has been discussed with employees. In addition, they have been offered the opportunity to work extra hours at the Pigeon Forge steakhouse location.

"Even though they would make extra money by working a few hours at the Pigeon Forge location, many are worried about taking those hours or tips from other employees," she said.

At the time of the interview, 13 of their employees had been affected adversely by the fire, with four losing their place of residence and their livelihood. There still are staff members whom had not been given the OK to return to their homes.

"Those people are truly traumatized. We like to think that our restaurant is a second home for these people, and the Gatlinburg staff has lost that, too," she said.

In addition to their weekly salary, Johnson has assisted her employees in finding temporary housing.

"In the short term, we have helped people with clothing, toiletries, housing and have handed out some cash because their meals will have to be purchased. We are thankful that there are a number of places in Pigeon Forge that have put our people up for free," she said.

If work time comes available at any of the other locations, the Gatlinburg staff will be offered those hours. She is not worried that the employees will take advantage of the extended salary offer.

"These are not the kind of people who want to sit on the couch and nap. They are hardworking and honest people that, if a job comes available, they will take it. These people saved each other. There was more than one incident where one employee picked up another because they didn't have a car and helped them to evacuate. That's the kind of people they are," she said.

On another note, the Johnson family recently signed legal documents to build two more restaurants in downtown Gatlinburg. They are slated to open in April.

"We are obligated to build these and it couldn't be at a worse time. We worry that we are opening these restaurants when tourism will not be at its normal peak because of the fires, or that people will hesitate to come back to Gatlinburg. We can recover from a fire, but we cannot survive from long-term lack of business. I've never felt sadder about opening a new restaurant," she said.

One way she said that the Knoxville community could help is to bring their dollars to Pigeon Forge.

"People are canceling vacations in Pigeon Forge, and it is completely unscathed. I wish people were coming to Pigeon Forge now, and then to Gatlinburg in January when we are ready again," she said.

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