Community holds fundraisers, raffles for Neal and Pam’s staff, owner after fire

SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The community of Surfside Beach is coming together for one of their own.

Members of our community joined forces to host a fundraiser to help the owners and employees of Neal and Pam’s Bar and Grill in Surfside after it was destroyed by a fire.

The first fundraising event, held at the Tavern in Surfside, will donate half of all proceeds will be donated to Neal and Pam’s owner, Zack Baker, and his employees, along with the money being raised through a 50-50 raffle.

Tavern in Surfside opened its doors for a fundraiser, even offering some of Neal and Pam’s employees a temporary job to help get by.

“It’s not just for the owners of Neal and Pam’s, it’s for everybody who works for Neal and Pam’s,” said Aaron Hocin, who owns Tavern in Surfside. “Also the entire Server community, bartenders, back of the house.”

“I’ve been going to Neal and Pam’s ever since they opened,” said Robert Patton, who lives in Surfside Beach. “I was there when the other owner owned it. We’ve been great customers. Zach, ever since he’s been there; he’s been a great person. [It’s] a great bar. He deserves anything anybody will do for him. He’s really good to his people.”

Neal and Pam’s Bar and Grill has been around since 1985 and Baker, who took over ownership in 2011, is working to get the location open as soon as possible. Meanwhile, his employees are out of work.

Drew Doss with the Tavern in Surfside says having this fundraiser is a no-brainer because Neal and Pam’s has been a staple in this community for decades.

“We have a bunch of musicians who have volunteered their time to come out, we’ll have live entertainment from 5 until close, doing a 50/50 raffle, door prize raffle,” said Doss. “We are donating all of our profits today from 5 until close directly to the staff to help them out while they’re out of work.”

Funds raised Monday night far exceeded the $5,000 goal.

“There’s so many cars and I was kind of overwhelmed and amazed by that and then we walked into the front door and all these people,” Baker said. “I work with them every single day and I haven’t seen them in four days, they’re like family. I told everyone that I had to use the bathroom and went in there and cried like a baby.”

Baker vows to reopen Neal and Pam’s by the start of football season. Until then, he is grateful for any help his employees can get.

Sundown Restaurant & Sports Pub announced a Neal and Pam’s fundraiser on Friday, July 29.

Old Bull and Bush Pub & Eatery Myrtle Beach will also hold a Neal and Pam’s fundraiser on August 6. Old Bush’s fundraiser also includes a raffle and, according to the Facebook post, tickets are already on sale.

A GoFundMe campaign also aims to help Zack and his employees, who are out of work until the restaurant and bar can be reopened.

We brought the fire at Neal and Pam’s Bar and Grill to you as breaking news Friday.

Firefighters were called to the popular surfside restaurant around 5 Friday morning. The fire is believed to have started from an air curtain placed over a service window on the front porch which is used for air conditioning.

Copyright 2022 WMBF. All rights reserved.