The City of Chelsea’s Department of Housing and Community Development, under the leadership of Chelsea City Council, is pleased to announce that the Storefront Improvement Program is supporting eight downtown small businesses with signage, lighting, awning, and facade upgrades. Funded through Chelsea City Council, the Program strives to increase the visibility, prevent displacement, and empower the growth of locally owned small businesses throughout the downtown.
In total, seven (7) out of the eight (8) selected businesses are minority owned, while 2 out of eight (8) are owned by women. Through the Program, small businesses direct the design of new signage and other upgrades, in consultation with an architect and signage company. As a result, the Program will yield a number of projects that realize the vision of small business owners, while enhancing the downtown.
“Small businesses are integral cultural resources serving the needs of the community, while providing residents with pathways to upward economic mobility,” announced Alex Train, Director of Housing & Community Development. “We’re extremely grateful for the leadership of Chelsea City Council in making the resources available to support the small business community in realizing their objectives, as well as the enduring partnership of the Chamber of Commerce.”
“It is a pleasure for the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce to work with the City of Chelsea and the small businesses owners participating in the Storefront Program. We are all very excited for the outcome.” – Jennifer Hassell, Executive Director, Chelsea Chamber of Commerce
“This is one of the City’s most effective programs for small businesses. We’re giving money for improvements back to the businesses and assisting them with the designs.”- Omar Miranda, Small Business Development Specialist of Housing & Community Development
In Fall of 2022, the Department oversaw a competitive application cycle for the Program, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. The partners completed extensive engagement to downtown small businesses, hosted application preparation workshops, and provided one-on-one support to small businesses. In total, 48 applications were received and evaluated by the City, utilizing an objective evaluation rubric. The selected small businesses participating in this phase of the program include:
Los Cipotes Market
Park Street Mini Mart
Sabor Latino
Variedades Amador
Delicias Salvadoreñas
Katz Bagels
Populus Tapas & Bar
M&Y Jewelry