DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — An anonymous donor on Tuesday saved West Side staple The Farm hours before its scheduled IRS auction.
Owner Daniel Elsaesser owed the IRS $126,000 in payroll taxes, most of it comprised of penalty and interest, he said Jan. 13. On Tuesday, he learned a businessperson who did not wish to publicly reveal their name had paid it off.
“We’re very thankful for everyone's support,” he said. “We’re thankful for everyone's prayers. When we learned this was happening, we didn't ask for money. We asked for prayers because we knew God would send someone to lift us up."
The Farm, located on Anderson Ferry Road, is a 75-year-old event center known for hosting wedding receptions, parties and family reunions.
Albert Ehrman and his wife, Betty, have been a part of the Farm's history for 30 years.
"It's everything," he said. "This is an icon."
The Ehrmans visit The Farm so often they've got their own table. Based on the latest news, the couple plans on being a part of the restaurant's future.
"We're excited, very excited that Danny's got a second chance on it, and I think it'll work for him," Ehrman said.
If Elsaesser hadn’t been pulled from the fire at the last moment, The Farm would have been auctioned off Wednesday morning.
"Now that we're out of the IRS lien, now we can go to banks and try to get a whole restructuring of everything so we can pay this man back too," Elsaesser said.
IRS auctioneer Arlenar McClain confirmed Tuesday night the auction had been canceled.
An IRS representative will be on site tomorrow to let curious people know The Farm is no longer for sale.
