Commissioners announce first round of small-business grant recipients (UPDATED)

This story has been updated to correct the name of a business that received a grant. The Lorain County Board of Commissioners handed out $415,000 worth of grants from American Rescue Plan Act funds on Wednesday to 50 Lorain County small businesses that were "adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic" and applied for relief grants in May. This round of grants went to businesses in Amherst, Avon, Avon Lake, Elyria, Lorain, North Ridgeville, Oberlin, Sheffield, Spencer and Wellington. All were grants of $5,000 or $10,000 each. Commissioners Matt Lundy, a Democrat, and Michelle Hung, a Republican, voted "yes" on the grants at their meeting Wednesday. Commissioner David Moore, a Republican, voted "present." In April, commissioners set aside $1.5 million in ARPA funds for small-business grants. Between May 2 and May 31, the county's Community Development Department received numerous applications for grants between $5,000 and $20,000. Other applications still are under review, the Community Development Department said. The grant recipients, by location and from highest award ($10,000) to lowest award ($5,000) in this round were: Amherst Amherst Animal Hospital: $10,000 CEOA LLC: $10,000 Old Town Pizza House/DMC Enterprises: $10,000 Pro Image Sign & Design Inc.: $10,000 Studio Q Photography: $10,000 Bad Girl Fitness: $5,000 Little Devil Cupcakery: $5,000 Pogie's Catering: $5,000 Sandstone Candle Works: $5,000 Avon Laura's Learning Treehouse: $10,000 Avon Lake D&S Gareau/Avon Lake Plumbing: $10,000 Erie Nails: $10,000 Erie Shore Fitness: $10,000 Rico's Tacos & Tequilas: $10,000 The Caslon: $10,000 Tru-Cor Fitness: $10,000 Wolff Tool and Mfg. Co./O.G. Bell Company: $10,000 Element LABS (Love, Art, Beauty, Science): $5,000 Pixel Power: $5,000 Relovedlumber: $5,000 Elyria Expresso Bakery: $10,000 Hanini Subz: $10,000 OH Boy Inc.: $10,000 Unplugged Brewing Co.: $10,000 Lorain Dodie's Dockside: $10,000 Benchmark Educational Publishing: $10,000 Brett D. McVey, O.D./Downtown Vision Center: $10,000 Heavenly Circle LLC: $10,000 Levit Jewelers Inc.: $10,000 Lorain Skate World: $10,000 Nem Construction: $10,000 Paul J. Alton O.D.: $10,000 P-R Truck Rental Inc.: $10,000 Rebman System: $10,000 Soul on Fire LLC: $10,000 Union Town Provisions: $10,000 Almost LLC/Dan Williams Roofing: $5,000 Ardick Seafood: $5,000 Hair Love Beauty: $5,000 Inkspired Studios: $5,000 Mi Casa Sabor Latino: $5,000 Steel Coast Trading Co.: $5,000 Sunrise Lawn Care and Landscaping: $5,000 North Ridgeville Cafe 83 LLC/Bistro 83: $10,000 Oberlin Albino Squirrel LLC/The Slow Train Cafe: $5,000 Sheffield Snina LLC/Sugarcreek Restaurant: $10,000 Dam Fitness: $10,000 The Eisen Agency: $5,000 Spencer Queen Right Colonies Ltd.: $10,000 Wellington Wellington Music Inc.: $5,000 Recipients should have received notice by email and regular mail with instructions on how to get their checks, according to the county Community Development Department. There were criteria for the grant awards. Businesses had to have 50 or fewer full-time or full-time-equivalent employees; a physical location such as an office, retail store, restaurant, warehouse or home business within Lorain County borders; must have been registered as a business with the Ohio Secretary of State at the time of application; and were required to provide copies of their 2021 federal tax returns. Money was eligible to be used to pay back rent, utilities, for new equipment, computer software upgrades and more, Community Development Director Rob Duncan told commissioners in April. His department read through all applications and presented those meeting the criteria to the board for approval. The full list of recipients will be is available at loraincountyohio.gov/arpagrants. It had not been updated with the names of the small-business grant recipients as of 8 p.m. Friday. The Community Development Department announced it will update the list as commissioners confirm awards. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @DaveOBrienCT.