On Tuesday, 38 small businesses in Detroit were awarded over $1.5 million in cash grants via Mike Duggan, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), and Motor City Match’s 22nd round of awards.
An impressive $1,020,000 in grants went to 18 new businesses in the “Cash” Award Track. These new businesses transform vacant commercial space and spur additional growth and investment in Detroit neighborhoods. Additionally, $467,300 in grants were awarded to 20 established businesses to facilitate necessary renovations to their current spaces, thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
MOTOR CITY MATCH ROUND 22 WINNERS
“Small businesses in the neighborhoods are the lifeblood of the city and when they can flourish, so are the people, families, communities and the overall city,” said DEGC President, and CEO Kevin Johnson, whose organization manages the Motor City Match program
Launched in 2015, Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at MotorCityMatch.com
Starting with Round 20, the program leverages federal funding from the city’s ARPA allocation to increase both the number of grants and the scope of services available. The quarterly grant pool has been increased to $1 million for new businesses and offers up to $500,000 in grants to existing businesses operating in the city for at least one year.
MOTOR CITY MATCH ROUND 22 PRESENTATION EVENT
Round 22 Awardees include a dog park brew pub, educational programming facility for Spanish language learners, and a neighborhood home and garden center. Eighteen new businesses will emerge across 16 Detroit neighborhoods.
“The funds went to businesses in all seven city council districts and this is key,” said Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison. “We are developing businesses in the neighborhoods and that’s what’s special about Motor City Match.”
The numbers speak for themselves:
- Since its inception, Motor City Match has helped 148 small businesses open brick-and-mortar locations in Detroit
- An additional 79 businesses are under construction currently
- 81% are minority-owned
- 66% are women-owned
- 70% are owned by Detroit residents
- 1,697 total businesses have been served
- Over 1000 jobs have been created in the city
Said Bettison, “This is proof positive what the Duggan administration is doing for Detroit neighborhoods.”
One of the awardees is AlPINO at 1426 Bagley which is a new restaurant and wine bar aiming to cultivate a communal atmosphere centered around high-quality food, made simply, and paired with excellent wine, music, and hospitable service. Owner David Richter left Detroit in 1999 to head to New York City and work alongside hospitality elites, with the goal always to move back. He says “I started hearing rumblings about the industry in Detroit and moved back to be a part of it. I also want to provide others in Detroit a path and opportunity to work in hospitality.”
MOTOR CITY MATCH RECIPIENT
Another award winner Tina Castelberry of The Garden Bug said, “I was born and raised in Highland Park and I love gardening. There were no garden centers to buy mulch, dirt, baskets and gardening needs, so I decided to start one.”
Johnson closed the presentation ceremony by saying, “Over a million dollars just handed out today. That’s what Detroit does – it takes care of itself. We invest in ourselves because if we don’t invest in ourselves you can’t expect anyone to invest in us.”
Motor City Match Round 22 Cash Awardees Include:
- Alpino – $35,000
- Alps-inspired restaurant and winery
- 1426 Bagley St.
- Corktown, District 6
- Cold Truth Freezery – $35,000
- Non-dairy ice cream shop specializing in organic and real ingredients
- 1429 Gratiot Ave
- Eastern Market, District 6
- Barkside – $45,000
- A pub/bar for dogs and their owners
- 7960 Kercheval Ave
- West Village, District 5
- Jessie Feliz Learning Center – $50,000
- Facility specializing in mastery-based and culturally responsive Spanish language teaching
- 20441 Schoolcraft Rd
- Brightmoor, District 1
- KIN – $50,000
- Contemporary bar, garden, and event space
- 4219 3rd Ave
- Mexicantown, District 6
- Vesper Books & Wine – $50,000
- Bookstore, wine bar, and bottle shop
- 5001 Grand River Ave
- Core City, District 6
- The New Esquire and Delicatessen– $50,000
- Carryout restaurant specializing in corned beef sandwiches at a reasonable price.
- 10324 Dexter Ave
- Dexter-Linwood, District 5
- Samaritan Café West – $55,000
- Minority-owned restaurant focused on delivering quality
- 8359 Linwood
- Wildemere Park, District 5
- CRED Cafe’– $60,000
- A neighborhood coffee bar, with hidden cocktail lounge and speakeasy in Detroit’s East Rivertown district
- 6340 E. Jefferson Ave
- Rivertown, District 5
- Crumbs Cookie Station – $60,000
- A baked goods company that produces a variety of gourmet cookies
- 500 Manistique, Suite 102
- Jefferson Chalmers, District 4
- Phorks Grill – $60,000
- A restaurant and crab shelling company
- 20430 W 7 Mile Rd
- Evergreen Lahser 7/8, District 1
- SIPP Smoothie & Juice Bar – $60,000
- Smoothie and juice bar
- 3439 Woodward Ave
- Midtown, District 5
- Aroma Cigar Bar & Lounge – $65,000
- An upscale cigar bar that offers premium cigars and sprits along with a wide selection of champagnes and wines.
- 1489 Winder St
- Eastern Market, District 5
- Detroit Edge Management – $65,000
- Management company that manages a modern assisted living facility.
- 13850 Grand River Ave
- Grand River I-96, District 7
- The Garden Bug LLC – $65,000
- A garden center located in Detroit dedicated to beautification.
- 4225 W Davison St
- Russell Woods, District 7
- Black Rose Gallery – $70,000
- A community art gallery
- 16134 Plymouth Rd
- Plymouth I-96, District 7
- Motor City House of Stone – $70,000
- Detroit-based stone slab distributor that specializes in high-quality natural and engineered stone slabs from around the world.
- 8311 Fenkell St
- Chalfonte, District 2
- Nepantla Cafe – $75,000
- A café serving quality coffee and food.
- 5410 W Vernor Hwy
- Central Southwest, District 6
Motor City Match Round 22 Restore Awardees:
- M Fish & Chicken– $25,000
- 16645 W. Warren Ave
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- ACCENT UPHOLSTERING LLC– $25,000
- 15633 Harper Ave
- Outer Drive-Hayes, District 4
- Bikes & Coffee– $25,000
- 1521 Putnam
- Woodbridge, District 6
- CITY HARDWARE GLASS & SCREEN REPAIR LLC– $25,000
- 16325 W. Warren Ave
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- Coriander LLC– $25,000
- 14601 Riverside Blvd
- Jefferson Chalmers, District 4
- DEXTER CHECK CASHING– $25,000
- 13237 Dexter Ave.
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- Fairline Foods Centers INC.– $25,000
- 16520 W. Warren Ave
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- Folk– $15,000
- 1701 Trumbull St. Suite B
- Corktown, District 6
- Gates Legacy Holdings LLC– $25,000
- 19236 Grand River Ave
- North Rosedale Park, District 1
- In Harmony Café Sweets and More – $25,000
- 12041 Dexter Ave
- Nardin Park, District 7
- Mac Galleries LLC– $25,000
- 18943 Livernois Ave
- Bagley, District 2
- Me Appliances LLC– $25,000
- 16826 W Warren Ave
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- Nantambu Tax & Financial Services LLC dba STRICKLEN’S TAX SERVICE – $25,000
- 16247 Wyoming St
- Fitzerald, District 2
- Nour & Zee LLC– $25,000
- 17032 Warren Ave
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- CultureDET– $19,000
- 18943 Livernois Ave
- North Rosedale Park, District 2
- Royal Car Center– $25,000
- 16630 W Warren Ave
- Warren Ave Community, District 7
- Spot Lite– $25,000
- 2905 Beaufait St
- Islandview, District 5
- The Congregation Detroit, LLC—$25,000
- 9321 Rosa Parks Blvd
- Boston Edison, District 5
- Wheelhouse Detroit– $2,500
- 1340 Atwater
- Rivertown, District 5
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