Greensburg to launch grant program for local businesses hurt by coronavirus - TribLIVE

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Lisa Hegedus can’t wait to apply for a grant from the Greensburg Community Development Corporation’s new Covid-19 Relief Main Street Jump-Start Program.

The new program, funded through a $150,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, is targeting small businesses in Greensburg that have suffered a financial hit from the coronavirus.

Hegedus, who has operated Café Barista just across from the Westmoreland County Courthouse for more than 22 years, said her business definitely fits into that category.

Over the last two decades, she built a terrific walk-in clientele that crowded her bistro for lunch and breakfast every day. The wine bar she added more recently was a hit with the Palace Theater crowd.

When the covid-19 shutdown hit, her staff pivoted to offering takeout, but that came nowhere close to replacing the business she lost. And there was no way to replace the suppertime clientele who used to crowd into her wine bar on Palace Theater show nights.

“We had to shut the wine bar down. Zero business at the wine bar for four months. We had 15 cases of wine we had to return to the winery. We’re hanging in there, but a grant would be great,” Hegedus said.

Ashley Kertes, executive director of the Greensburg Community Development Corporation, said many local businesses share that sentiment.

Kertes said a recent survey of 77 local businesses, including retail (non-food), grocery, food service, professional services, personal care (salons, spas, etc.), health care, social services, private clubs, auto services, manufacturing and gyms/fitness centers found 97% had seen sales decrease by more than 75% since the abrupt spring shutdown. Nearly two-thirds of them said they believe their business will be at risk of permanently closing within five months or less.

Greensburg Mayor Robert Bell said the city is happy to partner with the Community Development Corporation on the grant program.

While business owners have been able to tap the federal CARES Act to cover costs associated with rent, utilities and paying employees, the Covid-19 Relief Main Street Jump-Start Program can be tapped for other costs. Kertes said accounting & finance, human resources, legal services, marketing and information technology are among the costs the grant program will target.

Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, commended the effort.

“Greensburg’s small businesses are critical engines of the broader Westmoreland County economy, and the women and men who own and operate those small businesses deserve our best efforts,” he said.

“I think it’s just fabulous,” Hegedus said of the new program. “The Mellon Foundation has been so supportive of the local business community.”

Mary Wilmes, who owns and operates Penelope’s, an eclectic gift shop located on Pennsylvania Avenue, said she definitely plans to apply for a grant.

“It would help tremendously, since all of us lost a couple of months of business. I think people are turning more and more to small businesses now and this would help us grow,” Wilmes said.

Kertes said, in addition to underwriting the Jump Start program, a portion of the grant from the R.K. Mellon Foundation will fund a marketing program to promote Greensburg’s local businesses.

Deb Erdley is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Deb at 724-850-1209, derdley@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Categories: Business | Local | Westmoreland