Town of San Diego is providing hundreds of {dollars} to some small companies to assist enhance their curb enchantment.
The Storefront Improvement Program has already helped dozens of native companies through the years and now officers are attempting to get extra operators to make the most of this system.
The Olympic Café in North Park, which has been serving up traditional Greek delicacies for practically 4 a long time, is among the many companies which have already benefited.
“It’s simply been a household operation from the start,” mentioned Nick Kostelas, co-owner of Olympic Café. “My grandma nonetheless passes by. It’s all her recipes. My mother remains to be right here. She does all of the baking.”
When Kotselas and his household moved into their present location on College Avenue close to Louisiana Road just a few years in the past, the surface of the constructing wanted a serious makeover. The earlier tenants left behind a brilliant crimson exterior.
“We repainted the entire constructing,” Kostelas mentioned. “Constructed this masking. We redid the lined patio house.”
The enhancements value practically $20,000. Town lined $8,000 of that invoice.
The Olympic Café is taken into account one of many success tales in San Diego’s Storefront Enchancment Program. Town is hoping this serves for instance for different companies and expands this system into different neighborhoods.
“It’s a win-win state of affairs the place the enterprise proprietor has extra sources to enhance their storefront, however it’s additionally nice for all the encircling companies and the residents in the neighborhood as an entire,” mentioned Elizabeth Studebaker, assistant deputy director for the town of San Diego’s Financial Improvement Division.
Studebaker mentioned the storefront enchancment incentive went away briefly on the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. However now, San Diego can provide extra assist to small companies in historically underserved communities like Logan Heights, Lincoln Park and Encanto.
“Should you’re in an economically deprived or traditionally under-resourced a part of the town, you may obtain as much as $10,400 in reimbursement for $16,000 spent,” Studebaker mentioned.
Town additionally gives free design assist to grant recipients. To qualify for this system, companies, should make use of fewer than 25 individuals. Whereas it does not cowl all the prices of renovations, it was welcome assist for Kostelas and his household.
“It’s a terrific factor for the neighborhood,” Kostelas mentioned
San Diego units apart $200,000 a 12 months for the Storefront Enchancment Program. To use, enterprise house owners can go here.
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