BEDFORD – Bedford business owners were pleased to receive the Phase 3 COVID-relief funds Friday. Thirty-eight businesses received $260,000 in checks today at the Milwaukee Depot in Bedford.
Bedford Mayor Sam Craig, Bedford Director of Business and Community Development Ashlynne Bender, and Bedford Clerk-Treasurer Marsha Phieffer distributed the checks to many smiling faces.
“It has been a pleasure working with all these business owners and being able to help with their needs. Working with these entrepreneurs has been really special,” said Ashlynne Bender. “We are so excited to offer this through the OCRA grant and help all these wonderful small businesses,” Bender added.
“We just want to congratulate these businesses and their accomplishment in receiving the award,” said Bedford Mayor Sam Craig. “There have been three rounds of this grant money, we applied for the first round, but the city did not receive any funds. In the second round, the city received $250,000 and was offered the third round. We did not know what the odds were in receiving the third-round funds,” said Mayor Craig.
“My theory on grants, it is free money, somebody is going to get it, why not apply. The grant was done on a scoring system and when we looked into applying for it, we felt like we should do everything we could do to receive the award,” Mayor Craig continued.
“We took $10,000 and this allowed us to score more points, to improve our chances in getting the grant,”
Mayor Craig thanked the Clerk-Treasurer’s office Marsha Phieffer and Ashlynne Bender Director of Business and Community Development for the many hours it took working on the grant process.
Business owners thanked the Mayor and his team for helping them get through the difficult time of operating a business through the uncertain period as they received their checks.
“This means a lot to us, this money will get more equipment, add services, add classes, this really meant a lot to us in receiving this funding today,” said Bobbi Ames of Fit Chix.
Fit Chix opened approximately four months prior to COVID-19 and had to close their doors since they were not considered an essential business.
“COVID-19 pretty much shut us down, during the lockdown we were not considered an essential service. We were closed and had to operate our business online. No one in Bedford wanted to do online exercises. We just kept going,” said Susan Sokeland. “We have a boutique in the shop which has really affected the traffic flow and business in the shop,” Sokeland said.
Businesses that received the grant funds include:
- Acorn Valley Frames – $10,000
- Gillespie’s 1st Place Trophies, LLC – $ 5,000
- Marcus Ramos – $5,000
- Studio Style -$10,000
- Rockin Rebel’s Boutique – $10,000
- Nana’s Farmhouse Charm & Boutique – $10,000
- Body Evolution -$ 5,000
- Guthrie Creek Butchery -$10,000
- OSBM – $10,000
- Bailey’s Flowers & Gifts, Inc – $ 10,000
- Ace Pawn Shop – $10,000
- Limestone Capital Automotive – $10,000
- Cedar Hill Catering -$10,000
- Evolution Tattoo -$ 5,000
- Healthy Balance Health Club -$10,000
- J Nails – $10,000
- Mark III Motel -$10,000
- Special Teez by Good Sports -$ 10,000
- The Cut Hut -$10,000
- The Hair Company -$10,000
- Rainbow Printing, LLC -$5,000.
- Rosemount Hotel – $5,000
- B Fancy Boutique & Salon LLC – $5,000
- Copy Trolley -$ 5,000
- Fortner Services – $5,000
- The Blue Door Boutique -$5,000
- Celebrations Play Center -$5,000
- Fitchix -$5,000
- Hopes Organics LLC -$5,000
- KIBO, LLC -$5,000
- Southern Charm Boutique – $5,000
- Super 8 Hotel – $5,000
- The Beauty Asylum – $5,000
- Where Futures Begin, LLC – $5,000
- PC Pest Control – $2,500
- Brocks Bookkeeping and Tax Service – $2,500
- Mikels Towing and Recovery, LLC – $2,500
- Novus Strength Training – $2,500
