AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/business/)
Several unsuccessful applicants voiced concern last week at a press conference over the way officials are doling out 75 licenses across the state. Reps. La Shawn Ford and Kathleen Willis will hold another press conference about the issue Sunday.
Wednesday at midnight is the deadline for small businesses to apply for grants worth up to $10,000. The grants, being distributed through the Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) and funded by Verizon, target minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses.
The coronavirus has hit Austin businesses hard. Many are having trouble paying their bills and wonder if they’ll be able to reopen once the state’s stay-at-home order is lifted.
The event, led by Briana Janee Arts, will be held tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. at L!IVE Cafe & Creative Space, 163 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park. The event is sponsored by Womenz Werk, a community-based experience for women of color in business.
Fifteen Austin businesses have been awarded grant money by the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund since 2017.
The event will be held from 12 to 3 p.m. March 23 at Sankofa Cultural Arts Center, 5820 W. Chicago Ave.
The Jan. 19 event is one of a few services offered by the participants of Young Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (Y.E.T.), a program operated by the Westside Health Authority.
Five businesses are receiving grants of up to $250,000. They are Ted’s Place at 5813 W. Madison St.; Sky-Light Carpentry Services at 5420 W. Division St..; Coleman’s Bar-B-Que #2 at 5754 W. Chicago Ave.; Chubby’s Char House at 5963 W. Madison St.; and Brown Sugar Bakery, at 4800 W. Chicago Ave.
Those in attendance at this month’s meeting of the Austin African American Business Network Association were encouraged to apply for a Retail Thrive Zone business development grant from the city of Chicago.
Alleging that three businesses along the same strip of Madison Street in Austin neighborhood allow an environment of loitering, drug dealing, gambling and public indecency, community members met last week with city officials and the business owners to create a plan to resolve the issues.