(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner awarded over $2.1 million in Fiscal Year 2019 Great Streets Small Business Grants to 45 local small businesses. The investment continues Mayor Bowser’s effort to support local businesses, create new job opportunities for DC residents, and grow the District’s emerging neighborhoods. The Council has proposed cutting $2.1 million from the Great Streets and Neighborhood Prosperity Fund programs, and, at today’s event, the Mayor highlighted how these programs are a critical tool for attracting and supporting small businesses.
“Small and local businesses are the backbone of our city’s economy – they hire locally, spend locally, and encourage residents and visitors to shop locally,” said Mayor Bowser. “With the Great Streets and Neighborhood Prosperity Fund programs, we’re making it more affordable to open and sustain a small business in our community. These are the types of programs that make our economy more inclusive, help us build thriving retail corridors across our city, and create DC jobs for DC residents – investing in them should be an easy decision.”
The announcement was made at Patrick’s Pet Care, a two-time grant recipient in Ward 5. This year’s grant recipients showcase the diversity of the District’s business community, from dance studios and nail salons to pharmacies and event spaces. The Fiscal Year 2019 grantees include:
- Ward 1: 13 Months Ethiopian Restaurant, AddisParis Café, Dance Institute of Washington, Inc., 13th Street Market, Empire LLC, FishScale Inc., Sport Clips Haircuts, Image Hair Studio, Inc., Dulcinea Bar & Grill, Universal Hair Salon, Mi Cuba Cafe. Inc., Coffy Café, Seven Market & Deli Inc., Story District Inc., Studio Chique, El West, Gees Market
- Ward 2: Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
- Ward 4: Hen and Fin, La Coop Coffee, DB Priston, Horace and Dickies, Las Placitas Café, Lighthouse Yoga Center, Quality Printers, S & A Beads, Inc., The Spice Suite, True International Inc., Vera Barber Salon, Cheesemonstor Studio
- Ward 5: 7DrumLessons, DC's Chocolate Bar & Bakery, District Floor Depot Inc., Homme LLC, North Capitol Pharmacy, Petit Scholars, Vernon Martins Salon, Patrick's Pet Care
- Ward 6: 10th Street Market
- Ward 8: Check-It Enterprises, Divine Styles, Medina Inc., J&D Market, Salon on the Ave, Zemen
There are currently 13 Great Streets corridors located across the District that aim to transform developing commercial corridors into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers: Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Georgia Avenue, NW; Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE; 7th Street, NW, North Capitol Street, NW & NE; Rhode Island Avenue, NE; Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE and South Capitol Street, SE; Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road, NE and SE; Bladensburg Road, NE; Connecticut Avenue, NW; U Street – 14th Street, NW; Wisconsin Avenue, NW; H Street-Bladensburg Road, NE.
Through Great Streets, Mayor Bowser has awarded more than $16 million to 319 small businesses and helped create more than 1,000 jobs.
More information on Great Streets can be found at: greatstreets.dc.gov.