AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/business/)
The newly launched website -www.BlackShopFriday.com – provides a guide to more than 500 local Black-owned businesses – more than 40 of them in Austin – that can be searched by category and/or neighborhood. Black Shop Friday is a partnership of the city of Chicago, the Chicago Urban League and advertising agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul (OKRP).
Gov J.B. Pritzker visited L. May Creations, an event space on Chicago Avenue, last week to announce the release of millions of dollars in emergency relief funding. L. May Creations is one of 4,000 businesses across the state that has received a grant. There is about $175 million left to distribute, state officials say.
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.