BLOOMSBURG -- A restaurant owner in Bloomsburg made a unique plea to the public and it's gone viral.
The owner of "Seasons on Main" is having money troubles. But after posting a video explaining the situation on Facebook, people are stepping in to help.
Gary Vadikin owns the restaurant and says he is humbled by the outpouring of support he's received from all over the country.
Vadikin has owned the place for three and a half years but says it is not making a profit.
"I think that a lot of my customers think that since I own a fine dining restaurant, I'm doing really well. The truth is there are some burger joints that probably make a better profit than I do," said Vadikin.
Vadikin says opening Seasons on Main was his dream but it's turned into a nightmare. He is having trouble paying his bills and may have to close.
Feeling vulnerable, he made an emotional video and posted it to the restaurant's Facebook page. He wanted his faithful customers to know he is struggling to stay open.
Vadikin was not expecting his video to go viral. In just a few hours, the video had tens of thousands of views.
"It was really hard for me to open up that side of me and be vulnerable."
When he woke up, his phone was ringing off the hook with people from all over the country.
"They're making reservations and seeing how they can help. I'm honored."
People around Bloomsburg don't want to see the restaurant close, either.
"It's a wonderful restaurant," said Bloomsburg resident Dwayne Heisler. "The food is fantastic. It's a very intimate spot and that's kind of nice to have in a small town."
"The food is very good," said Helena Griffith. "It's creative and the atmosphere is very friendly."
Vadikin is known around the community for his generosity. Last Christmas, he handed out free soup in front of his restaurant to people who were hungry.
Newswatch 16 featured Vadikin in 2014 when he worked with another restaurant to give out free pizza to people in need.
"He has a big heart and it's in the right place so I have confidence that he's going to be able to pull this out," said Heisler.
Vadikin says he's overwhelmed with all of the support he's gotten over the last 24 hours and right now he's just taking it all in. He and his customers are hopeful Seasons on Main will stay open for a long time.
