From Pierre Batton, Senior Business Development Manager

DEGC’s Motor City Re-Store (MCR-S) program continues its mission to beautify Detroit’s commercial corridors by providing essential resources including, construction and design assistance, education workshops, and cash grant awards to existing Detroit businesses. Now in Round Four of funding, the program announced 28 businesses to receive a total of $358,000 in grants to provide construction and design assistance for façade and other exterior improvements.

The MCR-S program was created last year by the City of Detroit and DEGC to help existing businesses become more competitive and remain a vital part of Detroit’s growing small-business ecosystem.

MCR-S Round Four winners span 24 Detroit neighborhoods and cover a wide range of services including a performance venue, child care center, clothing stores, and a plumbing supply store.

Among the Round Four awardees:
• 59 percent are minority-owned businesses
• 41 percent are women-owned businesses
• 44 percent are businesses owned by Detroit residents

MCR-S is helping to create beautiful, walkable spaces for the businesses that have sustained Detroit’s neighborhood commerce. These businesses provide their communities with the goods and services residents demand, and they deserve spaces that reflect their passion for their community. We’re creating density in all of Detroit’s neighborhoods in hopes of bringing spending back into the city.

Four of the seven construction awardees are previous Round One design winners, thereby utilizing the full benefits of the Motor City Re-Store resource pipeline. In addition to receiving grant awards, Round Four design awardees will participate in a workshop connecting them with architects, lenders and community partners to discuss their projects and assist in creating design plans. This is one more example of DEGC’s continuing effort to help entrepreneurs create sustainable businesses as well as increase retail density throughout the city’s neighborhoods.

Marc Wolf, owner, Atlas Plumbing Supply Co., said: “Motor City Re-Store has been vital in helping me make some much-needed improvements to my business including new signage, windows, fencing and a restored parking lot. But these improvements are not just about my business— they’re about improving the neighborhood as a whole. When my business looks good, my community looks good, and people take pride in that.”

MCR-S will provide approximately $2 million annually in matching grants to existing business owners and their landlords for façade and other exterior improvements.

Winners are named in two tracks:
• Construction Track: Businesses that have shovel-ready projects can receive grants for construction for façade, landscaping and other exterior improvements.
• Design Track: These businesses will receive financial and technical assistance in design development for the exterior improvements.

Once designs are completed, the businesses are eligible to apply for construction awards.
Grant winners in the Construction Track are awarded matching funds of up to $25,000. The seven construction grants awarded in Round Four total $148,000. Design Track winners are eligible for grants of up to $10,000. Those 21 design grants awarded totaled $210,000. Grant amounts are estimates and may vary as each project proceeds.

MCR-S is accepting applications for Round Six from August 31 through October 1, 2018. Business owners and landlords must apply jointly for 50 percent matching grants up to $25,000. Multiple businesses applying as a group are eligible for 75 percent matching grants. Applications can be submitted at www.motorcity-restore.com and paper applications are available upon request.

MCR-S is managed by the Small Business Team at the DEGC and is available to entrepreneurs who are currently open and operating a commercial storefront in the city of Detroit, including their landlords. The program is supported by a combination of Community Development Block Grant dollars and other funders. The Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) has stewardship of the public funds and has approved funding to develop the program.
Seven businesses were awarded a total of $148,000 in construction grants in Round Four:
• A & W Day Care Center, owner Ameera Macki, $25,000
o 6565 Greenfield Rd., Herman Gardens
• Always Brewing Detroit, owner Cody Williams, $25,000
o 19180 Grand River Ave., North Rosedale Park
• Atlas Plumbing Supply Co., owner Marc Wolf , $25,000
o 3439 Gratiot Ave., McDougall-Hunt
• Detroit Institute of Bagels, owner Ben Newman, $5,000
o 1236 Michigan Ave., Corktown
• El Club, owner Graeme Flegenheimer, $25,000
o 4114 W. Vernor Hwy., Southwest Detroit
• Syl’s Unisex Hair Salon, owner Sylvester Townsend, $18,000
o 19432 Plymouth Rd., Franklin Park
• UFO Factory, owner Matthew Bihun $25,000
o 2110 Trumbull Ave., Corktown
21 businesses were awarded a total of $210,000 in design grants in Round Four:
• Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics, owners Chris and Kim Casteel, $10,000
o 6438 Woodward Ave., Milwaukee Junction
• Child Star Development Center., owner Denise Lomax, $10,000
o 10340 W. 7 Mile Rd., Pembroke
• DENCAP Dental Plans, owner Joseph Lentine, $10,000
o 45 E. Milwaukee Ave., Milwaukee Junction
• De’Rye Hair and Nails Salon, owner Deah M. Charles, $10,000
o 18228 James Couzens Fwy., Schulze
• Dobry’s Market, owners Spencer Mio and Souad Mio, $10,000
o 2351 Junction St., Southwest
• Flagship Boutique, owner Tarik Haygood, $10,000
o 19456 Livernois Ave., Sherwood Forest
• Graham’s Printing, owners Michelle McKeluie and Harold Graham, $10,000
o 8620 Gratiot Ave., Pingree Park
• Hall Starz, owner Mario Hall, $10,000
o 17301 Livernois Ave., Bagley
• Heat Engineering, owners Nancy and Jim Costa, $10,000
o 7700 Southfield Fwy., Warrendale
• Hunter Office Building, owner Johnnie L. Hunter, $10,000
o 2870 E. Grand Blvd., North End
• Jamela Hair Braiding & Bangin’ Blends, owner Mamadou Diallo, $10,000
o 16811 W. Grand River Ave., Grandmont
• J&G Pallets and Trucking, owners Geraldine Wooten and J.D. Givhan, $10,000
o 2971 Bellevue St., Islandview
• J’s Cafe, owner Gerard Thomas, $10,000
o 20853 Grand River Ave., Riverdale
• La Feria Spanish Tapas, owner Elias Khalil, $10,000
o 4130 Cass Ave., Midtown
• La Terraza, owners Gabriel Garcia and Israel Rocha, 10,000
o 8445 W. Vernor Hwy., Springwells
• Little Learners, owners Betty Favors and Jacqueline Fordham, $10,000
o 18310 Livernois Ave., University District
• Popa’s Tire and Auto Repair, owner Eliecer Popa, $10,000
o 7740 W. Warren Ave., Midwest
• Public Lumber & Millwork., owner Craig Sarafa, $10,000
o 1001 E. 7 Mile Rd., Nolan
• Sporty Cutz Barbershop, owner Teko Edwards, $10,000
o 13011 W. 7 Mile Rd., Schulze
• Supergiant, owner Wadi Brikho, $10,000
o 8830 Gratiot Ave., Gratiot Woods
• Xochis Gift Shop, owner Gloria Baiocco, $10,000
o 3437 Bagley St., Mexicantown