The Sydney man who tested positive for COVID-19 last week after touring four different barbeque shops in the same afternoon apparently wasn’t just in the market for a barbeque – he was also in the market for Barbeques Galore, as in, the whole chain of stores itself.
Let us explain.
The Australian Financial Review reports that Sydney’s first recent case of COVID-19 in the community was the managing director of a major investment company which is currently looking to bid on Barbeques Galore in an upcoming auction.
We’ve chosen not to name him, and it’s important to note that he didn’t go overseas, nor did he break any coronavirus restrictions that we know of. If anything, we should be grateful that he checked into all these venues using the QR codes so diligently.
But the point is, the dude visited so many goddamn barbeque stores as part of his due diligence, which is the standard appraisal investors do before buying a company.
Not only did he swing by Barbeques Galore in Annandale and Barbeques Galore in Casula, but he also checked out the competition over at Joe’s Barbeques & Heating in Silverwater, and Tucker Barbecues, also in Silverwater.
Want proof? Here’s the ominous statement a spokesperson for the investment company gave the AFR:
“We cannot publicly comment on the medical condition of individual employees. However, we are currently assisting the NSW health authorities as they investigate a positive case. The employee has not travelled outside Australia this year.”
Now everyone’s losing their shit over how this story has developed.
This has fucking sent me. He wasn’t buying a bbq!!!! He was buying BARBEQUES GALORE!!!! HE WAS TRYING TO BUY AN ENTIRE BBQ COMPANY
— nic kelly (@nicwkelly) May 9, 2021
buying a barbeque? heh heh heh. you are like a little baby. i was buying the barbeque store
— henno (@jrhennessy) May 9, 2021
Very Syd story that the barbecue guy was not looking to acquire the barbecue but the whole company
— Brigid Delaney (@BrigidWD) May 9, 2021
I am not here to buy A barbecue. I am here to buy ALL of the barbecues.
— Matt Bevan (@MatthewBevan) May 9, 2021
It’s not as if we weren’t warned, though. Take a look at this astute prediction from Saturday, a full day before the news broke.
https://twitter.com/HannahD15/status/1390914405257289728
All that diligent work on a Saturday arvo must’ve made the dude hungry, because the next day he visited The Meat Store in Bondi Junction.
Just a few days ago, this man was the laughing stock of Sydney. Everyone joked at how the supposed galore of barbeques should negate the need to shop around so aggressively.
Little did we know this investor with COVID-19 had a bigger purchase in mind (and a nice weekend cookup to boot).