The Houston hot sauce shop iBurn has launched a $10,000 fundraising goal to help survive the COVID-19 downturn.

"We've been through our ups and downs, but no downturn we've ever experienced has been as disastrous as this pandemic," owner James Beck wrote on his GoFundMe page. "From April to July we've seen 4 months in a row where our sales were the lowest they've been since our grand opening in 2013, and July was the worst of them."

According to the business, it was able to use the Payroll Protection Program to offset one full-time employee's salary, and it is also seeking other loans and government grants.

The fundraiser will be used to pay back deferred rent, update its website sales platform and replenish its inventory, Beck wrote.

"This business has always been about supporting other small businesses, and we hope this pandemic won't stop us from continuing that mission," Beck wrote.


Patrons and fans had contributed almost $4,000 as of Aug. 4.