Mayor Wu Announces the Third Round of SPACE Grant Awardees, Benefitting 32 Entrepreneurs Across the City
In this final round, $2,875,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding will support businesses in commercial districts throughout our neighborhoods.
Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the awardees of the third
round of the Supporting
Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE) Grant, celebrating 32 small
businesses that recently opened or are about to open. Through this program, the
City has supported over 90 businesses, using over $10.2 million in American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to help them with expenses related to new lease
agreements. For round three, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
received over 250 applications.
“Over the past few years we’ve seen this grant program
change lives, bring vibrancy back to our neighborhoods, and transform Boston’s
economic landscape,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “To make Boston a home
for everyone we have worked hard to provide the crucial support that our small
and local businesses need. I am grateful to our Economic Opportunity &
Inclusion Cabinet for their consistent efforts to bring life back to vacant
spaces across our City.
The first and second rounds distributed over $7.3 million to over 60 entrepreneurs, which will help to create more than 600 new jobs for residents. This final iteration will distribute $2,875,000 to the following 32 grantees:
- 1 more
rep athletics (Roxbury)
- Apex
Bar and Lounge Inc. (Downtown)
- The
Bay State Banner (Roxbury)
- Blue
Mountain Jamaican Restaurant, LLC (Mattapan)
- Bondij
Clothing (Dorchester)
- Brassica
Kitchen and Cafe (Jamaica Plain)
- cacao
South End, LLC (South End)
- Cha
Feo (Downtown)
- Cuffs
& Collars (Downtown)
- Don
Tequeño y Doña Arepa (Jamaica Plain)
- Downtown
Boston BID (Downtown)
- DJ's
Market (Dorchester)
- Eat
Pho LLC (Chinatown)
- Esther's
Garden Childcare Inc. (Dorchester)
- Fit to
Function (Roslindale)
- Georgie's
Wine Bar (Downtown)
- Genelys
Early Learning Center (Jamaica Plain)
- Haley
House Bakery Cafe (Roxbury)
- Hebron
Market (Mission Hill)
- The
Hummus Shop (Beacon Hill)
- Ink
Source LLC (Roxbury)
- Jenny's
Pizza (Charlestown)
- Leche
y Miel, LLC (South End)
- The
Little Cocoa Bean Company (Jamaica Plain)
- Murl's
Kitchen LLC (Dorchester)
- Neighborhood
Wash (Dorchester)
- Noir
Essence Studios, LLC (Dorchester)
- Nubian
Notion (Roxbury)
- Rozzie
Bound Co-op, Inc. (Roslindale)
- Silver
Dove Afternoon tea (Downtown)
- SJ's
(Downtown)
- Sorrel
& Lime (Dorchester)
Mayor Wu and the Office of Economic Opportunity and
Inclusion developed the SPACE Grant program as a direct result of
recommendations made by small business owners. Of all of the SPACE round
grantees, 34 are now open and operating, 30 have signed a lease, and the
remainder are in lease negotiations. The City is continuing to support all
grantees with technical assistance, connections with developers and landlords,
and with business-serving organizations for site selection support. Many SPACE
Grantees have also applied and received low interest small business loans from
the Boston Local Development Corporation (BLDC).
The program provides opportunities for small business owners
to open their new or next storefront location in major commercial districts
like Downtown and Back Bay, bring vibrancy to all City neighborhoods, and help
close the racial wealth gap.
Across the three rounds, 75 percent of SPACE grantees are
entrepreneurs of color and over 65 percent are women business owners. In the
past three months, SPACE grantees have opened storefronts throughout the city,
including Dani’s Queer Bar in the Back Bay, sweeties in Roslindale, and
Boardeaux in the Financial District.
“The third round SPACE grantees are dynamic businesses that
will strengthen both Downtown and Boston’s neighborhoods,” said Segun
Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “The awardees exude
creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Boston will benefit from the growth of
both these companies, as well as those previously awarded grants through the
SPACE program.”
“We have enjoyed celebrating grand openings and
ribbon-cuttings for many of our SPACE Grantees, and we look forward to not only
seeing more of these businesses open, but also continuing to support their
growth as entrepreneurs,” said Alia Hamada Forrest, Director of
Business Strategy for the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion.
In addition to awarding businesses grants to open
brick-and-mortar locations, the City is providing each business with
wrap-around services to assist with lease negotiation, accounting, taxes,
regulatory compliance, marketing, and employee-ownership to ensure long-term
success. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Industries of
Massachusetts (AIM), and the Retailers Association of Massachusetts (RAM) also
offer grantees free memberships to their organizations.
Grantees are also supported with small business resources
through local financial institutions including the Boston Local Development
Corporation and Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation and tenant
improvement contributions offered by participating landlords. Wraparound
services are provided by the Small Business Technical Assistance Program
through the City of Boston’s Office of Small Business.
“We are incredibly grateful for this support from the City.
The SPACE Grant will help us create a space that brings people together,
supports local jobs, and adds to the neighborhood's culinary vibrancy,”
said Tran Le, Owner of Eat Pho, a restaurant about to open in
Chinatown.
"The SPACE Grant has been instrumental in supporting
our business and enriching our community. It’s an invaluable resource, and we
extend our heartfelt thanks to the City of Boston and its dedicated staff for
their unwavering support," said Kurt Mclaughlin, Owner/Partner of
Sorrel & Lime, a new modern event space opening soon on Blue Hill
Avenue in Dorchester.
The Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion first
announced the SPACE Grant program at the end of 2022, following the
release of the City’s Downtown
Revitalization Plan. A total of $9 million was budgeted for the SPACE
program. An additional $1 million of ARPA funding was re-appropriated to the
SPACE Grant Program by the Boston City Council in early October 2024. For more
information about the SPACE Grant program, visit the program
website.
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