Taylor Swift Covering Salary & Healthcare Costs For Employees Of Nashville Record Store Grimey’s
Taylor Swift, like Ariana Grande, has been quietly sending money to fans who lost work during the pandemic. So far, she’s reached out and donated $3000 each to at least 20 financially struggling Swifties. And now, as Rolling Stone reports, it seems she’s taken it upon herself to singlehandedly keep a Nashville record store afloat.
It is, unsurprisingly, a rough time for record stores. Non-essential businesses are being forced to send their employees home and shut down, and albums just had their worst sales week ever in the US. Enter giant pop star Taylor Swift, who is giving money to Nashville retailer Grimey’s New & Preloved Music to cover employees’ salaries and three months of healthcare.
“We were very surprised, and I would have to say amazed, that Taylor Swift reached out to us through her publicist to offer some relief during the COVID pandemic,” Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis tells Rolling Stone. “I didn’t even know we were on her radar, but she really stepped up to help after the recent tornadoes that struck Nashville and middle Tennessee and now, she’s trying to help a beloved small business in her city.”
“Taylor generously offered some direct relief to my staff and to cover three months of our healthcare costs for our group insurance plan,” he continues. “It’s a huge deal to us and now I have some peace of mind as we apply for [Small Business Association] loans to pay rent, vendors, and other expenses. This assistance from Ms. Swift helps give us a real shot at coming back on the other side of this.”
“It’s incredibly heartening and totally surreal that Taylor Swift has offered to help us out in such a significant way,” Grimey’s buyer Will Orman adds. “With so much uncertainty about what lies ahead, we’re deeply grateful to be able to look forward to returning to the store and continuing to share music and connect with our community, thanks to Taylor’s generous support.”
That’s one American record store down — only a couple thousand left to go. You can do it, Taylor!