October 29, 2014
Ferguson area businesses find help
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Recover St. Louis Coalition created to provide By Shawn Clubb support to affected business Many businesses in the West Florissant Avenue corridor still have much work to do to recover from damage and loss of revenue in recent months. In the wake of the Aug. 9 shooting of Mike Brown by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson, people came out to demonstrate. While the majority of those who gathered in the area to be heard were peaceful, other people took advantage of the situation and damaged and looted businesses. Some businesses in Ferguson, Dellwood, Jennings and unincorporated North County sustained damage and loss of merchandise. Others had to close for a while or saw loss of revenue when customers stayed away during that time and since then. Business owners, some of whom started their businesses just this year, now have to regain their footing. While insurance can pay for some of their losses, there are things that insurance won’t cover. The owners also are on the hook for insurance deductibles. They did not expect anyone to come forward to help them with these costs, but that is what has happened as Community News will report in the November/December issue of Our Town. We spoke to Rebecca Zoll, president and CEO of North County Inc., and Katy Jamboretz, vice present marketing and communications for St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, to find
out what various area agencies are doing to aid in North County in the aftermath of the civil unrest. In our article, we detail what the Recover St. Louis Coalition has done in setting up an Economic Recovery Toolbox to provide assistance to affected businesses. This coalition includes North County Inc., the Regional Business Council, the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the Missouri Development Finance Board, and several area banks. Zoll said the business owners expressed relief when these agencies started reaching out to them. “Where there was little hope before, there was hope,” she said. Zoll also said the business owners have expressed a great desire to stay and continue doing business in the area — a place that they’ve called their businesses’ homes for many years. Businesses have been able to obtain grants, no-interest loans and low-interest loans, as well as expedited processing on some matters through the work of the coalition. Corey Nickson-Clark and his wife, Chantelle, who co-own Swiish Bar and Grill at 8021 West Florissant Ave. in the Buzz Westfall Plaza, have been able to obtain assistance for their business. They lost revenue when they had to close for 17 days when the parking lot
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of the center became the command post for police. Meanwhile, Charles Davis, owner of Ferguson Burger Bar & More at 9120 West Florissant Ave., had just opened the business when West Florissant Avenue was closed for a week. Much of the food he had on hand had to be thrown out. He also has been able to acquire help. More than a dozen other businesses have applied for and been granted aid through the programs. See FERGUSON AREA BUSINESSES page 2
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