DETROIT, March 15, 2018 – People’s Restaurant Equipment Company, a 100-year old business located near Eastern Market on Gratiot Avenue, is among the 25 established Detroit businesses receiving Motor City Re-Store grants today from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and City officials. The 25 businesses will receive a total of nearly $300,000 in grants to support the construction and design of exterior improvements intended to support existing businesses and beautify Detroit’s commercial corridors.

 

Mayor Mike Duggan and the DEGC announced the Motor City Re-Store program last year as a way to help established businesses in the city increase foot traffic. This helps them remain competitive with new businesses that are opening in Detroit’s neighborhoods with the help of Motor City Match and other programs.

 

“There are so many programs that are helping new businesses that want to open in Detroit, we created Motor City Re-Store for those who stayed, even during difficult years,” Mayor Duggan said.  “Now that Detroit is coming back, these businesses that sustained our neighborhoods for years can know the City has a program to help them compete for another generation.”

 

These second round Motor City Re-Store winners are distributed across more than 20 of the city’s neighborhoods and include a wide range of businesses including restaurants, an auto parts supplier and a furniture store. Of the 25 Round Two recipients, 76 percent are minority-owned and 24 percent are women-owned businesses, Mayor Duggan added.

 

The Round Two announcements were made at Taqueria El Nacimiento, owned by Rodrigo Padilla. His restaurant earned a design award in Round One for $10,000. Padilla is currently working with an architect on façade improvements.

 

“I’m thrilled to be hosting the Round Two award ceremony with Mayor Duggan and Motor City Re-Store,” said Padilla. “I want other businesses to see the opportunities that exist in Detroit and make an investment in the future.”

 

Re-Store part of larger effort to revitalize city’s commercial corridors

“With its sibling program Motor City Match, Motor City Re-Store is rebuilding neighborhood commerce,” said Michael S. R. Rafferty, DEGC, Vice President of Small Business Services. “Demand exists. We know that because $2.6 billion in retail spending is leaving the city annually for the suburbs. These programs are building the supply by curating Detroit’s commercial corridors with new business and investment that will, over time, provide access to the goods and services our citizens deserve.”

Team LBR, LLC, is the first Motor City Re-Store construction grant recipient located on Detroit’s historic Avenue of Fashion. The real estate business joins several Motor City Match award recipients located in the area, including Detroit Sip and Narrow Way Cafe. Other Motor City Match winners, such as Simply Breakfast, and Shears and Shaving, will be opening nearby soon. The DEGC is driving inclusive catalytic economic revitalization all along Livernois Avenue, including providing financing assistance for the $8.3 million 7.Liv mixed-use development.

 

How Motor City Re-Store Works

Motor City Re-Store 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 getting a design for the exterior improvements. Once they complete their designs, 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 eight construction grants awarded in Round Two total nearly $165,000. Design Track winners are eligible for grants of up to $10,000. Those 17 design grants awarded totaled $129,000. Grant amounts are estimates and may vary as each project proceeds.

 

 

 

About Motor City Re-Store

Motor City Re-Store is managed by the Small Business team at the DEGC and is open to entrepreneurs who are currently open and operating a commercial storefront in the city of Detroit, and their landlords. It is supported by a combination of Community Development Block Grant funds 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. It approved the Round 2 winners during its meeting earlier this week.

 

Motor City Re-Store is accepting applications for Round 4 through April 2, 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.motorcityre-store.com and paper applications are available upon request.

 

 

Eight companies been awarded a total of $164,700 in construction grants:

 

• Green Dot Stables, owner Jacques Driscoll, $14,700
  • 2200 W. Lafayette Blvd., Hubbard Richard
• Infinite Dzigns, owner Ray Chambliss, $15,000
  • 19605 Grand River Ave., Minock Park
• Rebound Design and Build, owner Steven Harris, $25,000
  • 9413 John R. St., North End
• Richard Bennett & Associates, owner Richard Bennett, $25,000
  • 470 Brainard St., Midtown
• Robinson Furniture, owner Scott Bradley, $15,000
  • 3180 E. Jefferson Ave., Rivertown
• Team LBR, owner Larry B. Rivers, $25,000
  • 20122 Livernois Ave., Green Acres
• The Final Kut, owner Kevin Ingram, $20,000
  • 13303 W. Seven Mile Rd., Greenwich
• Transformation Barbershop, owner Kevin Tubbs, $25,000
  • 9407 John R. St., North End

 

 

Seventeen businesses have been awarded a total of $129,000 in design grants:

 

• Annointed Construction, LLC, owner David Fouche, $7,200
  • 17418 Wyoming Ave., Bagley
• Atlas Plumbing Supply Co., owner Marc Wolf, $10,000
  • 3439 Gratiot Ave., McDougall-Hunt
• Belle Isle Pizza, owner Leor Barak, $10,000
  • 7869 E. Jefferson Ave., West Village
• Crash Auto Parts, LLC, owner Dragan Sibinovic, $7,200
  • 3465 S. Fort St., Boynton
• Crystal Clear Images, owner Crystal Mitchell, $6,000
  • 15627 W. McNichols Rd., St. Mary’s
• Dolex Dollar Express, owner Mario Kiwi, $8,000
  • 7840 W. Vernor Hwy., Springwells
• Grootka, Inc. DBA PJ’s Lager House, owner Paul Ryder, $10,000
  • 1254 Michigan Ave., Corktown
• Headliners Barber Shop, owner Anthony Donald, $6,000
  • 20848 W. Seven Mile Rd., Evergreen Lahser
• Jefferson Chevrolet DBA Trader Ray Tire Center, owner Brian Tellier, $6,000
  • 2130 E. Jefferson Ave., Rivertown
• JGP Investments, owner Fred Pickens, $7,200
  • 15918 W. McNichols Rd., College Park
• MG Income Tax & Multiservices, Inc., owner Miguel A. Garza Jr., $10,000
  • 1006 Springwells St., Southwest
• Morales Enterprises, owner Yolanda Morales, $6,000
  • 8340 W. Vernor Hwy., Springwells
• People’s Restaurant Equipment Co., owner Dante Corsi, $7,200
  • 2209 Gratiot Ave., Eastern Market
• Rivers Realty, Inc./Rivers Investment, owner Ron Rivers, $10,000
  • 18222 Livernois Ave., University District
• The Neighborhood Schoolhouse, owner Stephanie Glenn, $6,000
  • 12845 Conant St., Banglatown
• The Studio, owner Patty Dukes-Jordan, $4,200
  • 12835 Conant St., Banglatown
• Timeout Sports Bar, owner Mashelle Sykes, $8,000
  • 16801 Plymouth Rd., Joy Community

 

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