"[8] In the venue's early years, it was treated as unwelcome in the area: the local government attempted to shut it down it multiple times, and the building was twice set on fire with Molotov cocktails.
[2] In June, Feathers reopened for takeout and outdoor dining, functioning on a skeleton staff of four employees and receiving about 50 customers per week, down from a pre-COVID high of 1,500.
[1][3] Binetti changed the business model from nightclub to restaurant, hired a new chef, modified the establishment's menu, and converted its back lot into a seating area in an attempt to maximize revenue under the new arrangements.
[5] At the end of June, when Governor Phil Murphy walked back plans to reopen indoor dining, Binetti announced that Feathers would no longer be able to tide itself over with outdoor operations alone.
[1] On June 28, he launched a $75,000 GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds needed to pay off the overdue rent and taxes that the club had accrued in the four months it was closed.
[7] Celebrity performers from RuPaul's Drag Race and The Village People offered to help organize a benefit for the club, but its reduced capacity presented practical problems.
As of late July, local drag queens and DJs were regularly donating socially distanced performances in Feathers' outdoor dining area to help with fundraising efforts.
[12] The venue continued to host outdoor events through the 2020 holiday season,[13] and by May 2021, it had resumed normal indoor operations, stipulating only that unvaccinated customers should wear masks.