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La Lunchonette Takes Shot at Trump With Fundraiser Before Closure

By Maya Rajamani | December 20, 2015 7:18pm | Updated on December 21, 2015 9:05am
 La Lunchonette, which is closing on Dec. 31, has launched an online fundraising page to raise money for the educations of its staff's children.
La Lunchonette, which is closing on Dec. 31, has launched an online fundraising page to raise money for the educations of its staff's children.
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Facebook/La Lunchonette

CHELSEA — Beloved French restaurant La Lunchonette is trying to trump The Donald during its final days in business.

The nearly three-decade-old eatery, which announced in July it would be closing at the end of 2015, has launched a Go Fund Me page to raise money for an education fund for the children of its chef and kitchen staff.

“After listening to racist and dehumanizing things that Trump has said against Mexicans and immigrant workers, La Lunchonette is taking a stand,” the restaurant’s management wrote on the fundraising page, which it created on Tuesday.

“And to Trump, the ‘anchor’ babies that you speak of are going to change the world for the better,” the restaurant continued. “Let’s trump Trump together!”

Restaurant co-owner Melva Max said she and her daughter launched the fundraiser to serve as a "scholarship fund" for children of the staff, most of whom are Mexican immigrants, as well as one who is from Guatemala.

"As much as we could, it would just be nice for them to have something, because we're not really sure what lies in the future for them," Max said. "We thought it would be a nice way for people to show their appreciation for what they've done here. They've been really wonderful — we just really love them so much."

So far, restaurant hasn't raised any of the $5 million it set as a goal on its fundraising page, but it has not set a deadline for donations.

In a July Facebook post, Max thanked the restaurant’s patrons for supporting it during its 28-year run.

“Even though the end is drawing near our team will continue to make their best beef bourguignon and tarte tatin." Max wrote. "I am so grateful to all of them for working with me. Their dedication and hard work has both inspired me and made me proud."

The restaurant, which first opened on Essex Street, moved to its current 10th Avenue location in 1988. In an interview with Vanishing New York in October 2014, Max said she would be forced to close as a result of skyrocketing rents and new developments around the High Line.

Max said her landlord originally set the move-out deadline for June 2015, but ultimately extended La Lunchonette’s lease to the end of the year.

On New Year’s Eve — La Lunchonette’s last day in business — the restaurant will offer an $80 prix fixe menu that includes roast stuffed suckling pig, roast rack of New Zealand lamb, terrine de foie gras and sauteed sea scallops with Lillet.

"We're sorry [the restaurant is closing], and everybody is going to kind of go their own way, but we'll see what happens," Max told DNAinfo on Friday. "We had a really great experience — it was a great experience."