Downtown York businesses receive $20,500 grants

York-based Downtown Inc. has awarded $20,500 grants to 13 businesses through its 2022 Downtown Bloom Grant program.  

The grants provide the businesses resources to improve productivity, expand business services, or help them to grow to the next level, Downtown Inc. said.  

 Of the 13 businesses receiving funding, nine are BIPOC-owned, one is veteran owned and another nine are owned by women. 

The 2022 Downtown Bloom Grant Recipients are: 

• The Watchmaker’s Daughter: Equipment for jewelry production. 
• Sweet Mama’s Mambo Sauce: Signage and enhancements for stand in Central Market and events. 
• Refillism: Purchase of lighted sign outdoor bracket, electric installation, and building improvements. 

• Enhanced Beauty Lounge: Purchase of equipment and certification training to expand services to salon. 
• Tony Orr & Sons & Daughters Barbershop: Purchase of equipment for barbershop. 
• Luxe and Mane Salon: Façade improvements and installations of planters, and interior lighting in my front windows. 
• Sattva Center for Meditation & Yoga: Building improvements. 
• Revolt Style Studio: Interior retail renovations. 

• Russy’s Sweet Treats: Signage and enhancements for stand in Central Market. 
• House of Yoga: Interior building improvements. 
• Garden of Herbs: Marketing and website development. 
• Mark & Val Wines: Equipment for business. 
• Michael’s Low Country Kitchen and Bakery: Purchase of additional equipment for stand in Penn Market. 

The YoCo Bloom Grant Program was created in 2018 and expanded in 2019 to include a Downtown-focused grant. This micro-grant program is part of ongoing efforts by Downtown Inc. to support businesses in Downtown York and by the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs by providing access to capital, resources, and education to accelerate small business startup, growth, and success, Downtown York said. 

 Since its launch, 129 BLOOM Grants have been distributed to small businesses/organizations in York County, Downtown York, York County Trail Towns communities, to women-owned businesses, start-up entrepreneurs, and graduates of the BLOOM Small Business Development courses, with 54% of grants going to businesses owned by persons of color and 65% going to women-owned businesses.