Hundreds of small businesses across Erie County are rejuvenating their storefronts and reinvigorating business thanks to the Erie County Storefront Revitalization grant program, which is investing $15 million over a two-year period in the program to assist local small business owners.

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined today by various members of the Erie County Legislature, including Legislator John Gilmour (9th District) and Legislator Tim Meyers (7th District), along with Daniel Castle, the commissioner of the Department of Environment and Planning, and Tuona Batchelor, Director of the Office of Economic Development, to celebrate renovations that were recently completed and scheduled to take place at Park Edge Sweet Shoppe on Abbott Road in the City of Buffalo. County officials also used the event as an opportunity to announce that 115 local small businesses will receive funding from the second round of awards presented as part of the Storefront Revitalization grant program.

“Erie County continues to invest in local small business with programs like the Storefront Revitalization grant program and the results are great to see. By increasing curb appeal, we are helping them to increase foot traffic in an effort to retain longtime patrons while also drawing in new customers. It’s incredible to see what a significant upgrade and transformation of a business such as we see here will do for a particular neighborhood,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “I want to thank the Erie County Legislature for their continued support of this grant program, which has become quite popular with businesses throughout the county. These strategic investments in our community benefit business owners and their customers.”

Located at 325 Abbott Road in South Buffalo, Park Edge Sweet Shoppe is using a grant of $40,000 to completely remake their storefront with a series of renovation projects. Work at the site that has been completed or is scheduled to be done in the near future includes exterior work involving painting the structure and installing eye-appealing planters and the erection of a new storefront sign. Concrete repair and replacement work include weathertight construction upgrades and roof repairs are also included as part of the revitalization project.

Margaret Mulvaney, who along with her sister Anna Hartog owns and operates Park Edge Sweet Shoppe, said, "We are so very grateful to have been a recipient of the Erie County Storefront Revitalization grant. The support provided by this incredible program has helped us complete some exciting aesthetic improvement projects and also makes the neighborhood we are so proud to be a part of look more lively and vibrant."

Anna Hartog said, “Our level of excitement from being awarded the grant funding cannot be accurately measured because we are incredibly enthused at the potential this has to attract brand new customers to Park Edge Sweet Shoppe.”

The Department of Environment and Planning administers the highly successful grant program, A total of 262 Storefront Grants were made in the first round of the program, of which approximately 56 businesses have had their storefronts fully completed while another 155 are currently underway in some fashion with the specific renovation planning process.

“The Storefront Revitalization grant program has been incredibly well-received, and the public benefits are evident in communities and streetscapes all across Erie County,” said Tuona Batchelor. “Each individual business is unique and our end goal is to make sure each owner is pleased with the results of the work that should result in supporting Erie County’s thriving economy.”

The complete list of businesses, which are located in cities, towns and villages throughout the county, will be made public once each small business recipient is notified.

For more information:

On the Department of Environment and Planning, visit https://www3.erie.gov/environment/