Atlanta’s economic development agency board approved $50,000 grants to five legacy businesses in an ongoing effort to preserve and support small businesses.
At the Aug. 21 meeting, the Invest Atlanta board approved a series of Small Business Improvement Grants to pay for interior and exterior improvements. The grants are funded using Tax Allocation District dollars, and the cash will go to essential work like accessibility enhancement or infrastructure upgrades.
“These tax allocation district grants are part of a larger commitment to our small businesses so they can continue to grow, modernize, and continue to make an economic and cultural impact on their communities for many more years to come,” Atlanta Mayor and Invest Atlanta Board Chair Andre Dickens said in a statement.
Each business is at least 30 years old, sits in the city limits, and contributes to the “history, culture and identity” of the city, according to Invest Atlanta standards. The agency previously identified at least 400 legacy businesses in Atlanta.
At the Aug. 21 meeting, Invest Atlanta kicked off its approvals with a $50,000 legacy Black-owned newspaper, The Atlanta Voice. The paper was created in 1966 to inform, uplift and empower the community – it still operates in Mechanicsville today. The grant will pay for interior and exterior improvements, like a new HVAC system and kitchen improvements, through the Stadium TAD.
From there, Invest Atlanta approved $50,000 to Atlanta Human Performance Center, Inc. The money will improve the Greenbriar neighborhood business, a longstanding therapy and wellness facility. The facility serves people with many physical needs, specifically those with mobility impairments — grant dollars from the Campbellton TAD will help create a wheelchair accessible ramp and doors, as well as newly striped parking lots with updated signage.
The family-owned Fred Martin Welding Co., Inc. received $50,000 to renovate the Old Fourth Ward property. The business has provided welding and metalwork for over 40 years, and it’s currently run by the founder’s grandson, Marty Martin. The Eastside TAD grant will help repair concrete floors from 1938.
Henri’s Bakery was the oldest business in the bunch – founded in 1929, the Perry Bolton neighborhood spot has been a part of the family legacy for decades. All seven locations are operated by the great-grandson of Henri Fiscus. The $50,000 grant will go to the Perry Bolton location, which is also the bakery production facility, and it will pay for a commercial dehumidifier and enclosed patio.
The final $50,000 grant went to RWL German Imports in Old Fourth Ward. The legacy automotive repair shop has been running out of a 3,750-square-foot building on Edgewood Avenue since 1983. The Eastside TAD will fund painting, general repairs and some “accessory structures” to expand the garage space and storage capacity.
Invest Atlanta CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich said the initiative “empowers entrepreneurs to improve their business,” and in turn helps boost the community.
“We are projecting more than half a million dollars in economic impact from these grants,” Klementich said. “But more importantly, ensuring our longtime businesses remain strong, resilient and positioned to thrive.”
The Aug. 21 grants are part of Invest Atlanta’s ongoing efforts to support legacy businesses. Mayor Dickens said the businesses “shaped our neighborhoods and served as anchors in our local economy.”
In turn, he supported a series of loans, grants and technical assistance programs through Invest Atlanta totaling $36.2 million. This spring, the city and the economic agency also launched the Atlanta Local Legacy Program dedicated to the city’s oldest businesses.
Through the Local Legacy Program, businesses could be listed on an online registry and app, apply for a $5,000 business modernization grant and apply for the $50,000 Small Business Improvement Grant.
