RICHMOND, Va. -- The owner of a juice bar in Ricmond said the grant he has received from the Metropolitan Business (MLB) will give him a sense of "relief" and could potentially "change" his entire business.
The MLB is accepting applications for its We Care Resurgence Grants, which range from $2,500 to $10,000, to boost eligible Shockoe Bottom small businesses as companies bouncing back from the pandemic shell out more because of inflation.
Lamonte Yates, a Richmond native who opened the Blacker the Berry Juice Bar on N 18th Street, has received one of the grants.
He said he put his whole life into creating and running his business in the summer of 2020. But he admitted his second year in business has at times been a struggle.
“It was a scare more than anything," Yates acknowledged. "I was like, 'Oh man, I don’t know what I’m going to do because it slowed down.'”
Yates not only runs the business, but he is also the sole employee running the storefront and making the juice.
While Yates said he loves the work, he wanted to to financially get to a place where he could bring on an employee so he could grow his business.
The We Care Resurgence Grant he received will make that a real possibility, he said.
“That’s going to change this whole business," Yates said. "It keeps you steady and keeps your mind where you can stay focus on your main goal knowing the help is there."
Yates said he wants to see other Shockoe Bottom business owners thrive, so he hopes they will apply for the grants.
"A little bit of help will change everything around and give you that relief," Yates said.
The MBL said the grant is open to any business at least a year old in the Shockoe Bottom area. Outside of the grant funding, recipients will also receive a business assessment and strategic planning, as well as business coaching and mentorship, according to officials with the organization.
Applications for the We Care Resurgence Grants close Tuesday, Oct. 31. Click here for information and to learn how to apply.
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