Wilmington, DE: With the support of the City of Wilmington via America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, Cornerstone West CDC and its partners True Access Capital and Wilmington Alliance, are excited to announce the first round of the West Side Innovation Fund awardees. This fund aims to infuse West Side corridors with investment through $1,000-10,000 grants to entrepreneurs seeking to open their business in a commercial vacancy, property owners seeking potential tenants, and existing businesses to make minor repairs. These awardees have persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic and many are entrepreneurs starting up in the city’s smaller commercial business districts on the West Side, including Union, Lincoln, and 4th Streets. 

WEST SIDE INNOVATION FUND AWARDEES

• Bryant Cottman Sr., owner of Cottman International, is working towards opening HillTop Smoked BBQ at 1721 West 4th Street that will offer Halal Soul Food. 

• Sia T. Goldsborough, owner of Goldies Mini Market located at 1723 West 4th Street, who will utilize funds for facade improvements. 

• Stephanie Grubb & Hannah Schoenbach, owners of Hell’s Belles Bake Shop located at 600 N Union Street, will utilize funds for outdoor dining equipment and exterior security cameras.

• Fernando Rosa, owner of Orion’s Auto Repairs located at 1916 West 4th Street, will utilize funds for new exterior signage. 

• Alfonso Mejia, owner of Taco House & Pizza located at 1727 W 4th Street, will utilize funding to renovate and expand in-door seating. 

• Tawina D. Ricks, owner of The Vision Campus located at 2205 Lancaster Ave, will utilize funds for exterior security cameras.

• Monet Cooper, owner of Transformed Beauti, a mobile beauty company, will utilize funds to renovate a mobile business vehicle. 

• Christine Grimes, owner of Union Press Printing located at 1723 W 8th Street, will utilize funds for exterior security cameras and new signage.

• John Constantinou, chef & owner of Walter's Steakhouse located at 802 N. Union Street, will utilize funds for facade improvements. 

"We'd like to thank the City of Wilmington's continued commitment to investing in our neighborhoods which is a priority in the West Side Plan and the Citywide Comprehensive Plan," says Gabrielle Lantieri, Economic Development Manager for Cornerstone West CDC. "Additional resources are needed to support our small businesses, especially our BIPOC-owned small businesses, but these programs will achieve visual impact on our neighborhood ‘main streets’."

Cornerstone West CDC launched the Building From Within: Small Business Commercial Corridor Stabilization & Innovation program in 2020 as a way to meet the changing needs of the small business community as it struggled to survive during the pandemic. This program encompasses three different small business funding opportunities: the Wilmington Strong Fund, the West Side Small Business Innovation Grant Program, and the West Side Corridor Revitalization Fund, details of which can be found at westsidegrows.org/small-businesses.