Sustaining businesses
in Philadelphia since 1854.

Grant Awards - Spring 2008 Recipients

The Merchants Fund opened offices in the summer of 2007 in downtown Philadelphia after a twenty-five year hiatus outside the City. The board has outlined an ambitious grant-making program to support small businesses in Philadelphia.

Groben’s Seafood: 
TMF paid $160 to start the permitting process for sidewalk seating. Mt. Airy USA CDC is providing technical assistance.

Trolley Car Diner ($5,000)
Website: http://www.trolleycardiner.com
Trolley Car Diner operates a traditional American diner, ice cream parlor (seasonal) and deli serving Mt Airy, Chestnut Hill and nearby Montgomery County. The construction project on Germantown Avenue has made it difficult for customers to get to this thriving business. TMF contributed toward building a web-based delivery component for the business to compensate for lost income and to enhance the already strong base of operations for this important business.

BodyRock Bootcamp ($8,513.00)
Website: http://www.bodyrockbootcamp.net
BodyRock Bootcamp provides individualized personal training and runs an intimate gym on Lancaster Avenue at 38th Street. Nathon Mcintyre has built a specialty around plein air exercise using the City’s extensive public park system as his personal training facility. The People’s Emergency Center CDC supported his application. TMF funded a variety of capital and equipment improvements: laptop and software to manage finances and clients; soft mat flooring, portable mirrors, body mass meter, and a digital scale: $8,513.00

White Seal Dry Cleaners ($10,000)
White Seal Dry Cleaners has operated on Baltimore Avenue for more than 29 years and is run by two generations of the McCallum family. Matching funds for a new sign and design services were provided by the University City District. TMF allocated additional funds for machine replacement.

Infusion Café ($10,000)
Website: http://www.infusioncoffeeandtea.com/index.cfm
Infusion Café’s husband and wife owners have rededicated themselves to this vital community gathering spot in Mt. Airy despite the economic barriers due to the Germantown Avenue construction project. This multifaceted grant is intended to improve and restructure the business, upgrade facilities and equipment, improve the green profile, and maximize profit. The grant included hiring Angie Vendetti from Mugshots, February 2008 grant for expansion, to review and overhaul all of their systems, cost out prepared food, set up training models for staff, identify new vendors, etc. The owners are active participants in the local Independents Coffee Cooperative.
http://www.independentscoffee.com/index.cfm

SportsWorks ($7,400)
SportsWorks has been on Main Street in Manayunk for 20 years and has seen the boom of the 90’s wane in the past few years. A loyal customer base of committed runners patronizes this woman-owned business for the personalized service and carefully selected merchandise. Customers have indicated a desire for a web site for purchasing what they already know they want--- the same great gear they always buy and to check out her new inventory. In order to diversify her sales, she will expand life style sportswear and set up a web-based retail component. The Manayunk CDC supported this application.

University City Review ($5,000 for capital equipment improvements)
 Website: http://ucreview.com/
University City Review distributes a free urban weekly geared toward and distributed in University City and Center City.

Mom's Bakery ($10,000)
Mom’s Bakery is known for amazing pies, tasty dinner rolls and memorable sticky buns. Father and daughter are working on preserving this family-owned bakery for the next generation. TMF granted funds for a new oven and a display case. The Ogontz Avenue Redevelopment Corp supported the application.

Little Duckies Daycare ($2,875)
Website: http://littleduckiesdaycare.metrodaycare.com/
Little Duckies Daycare requested $2,875 for a variety of equipment and learning materials. TMF granted funds in February 2008 to refinance and extend a loan with The Reinvestment Fund.

North 22nd Street Merchants & CDC ($5,000)
Website: http://www.north22ndstreetnphilly.com/
North 22nd Street Merchants & CDC requested $5,000 to develop a web site featuring the corridor and the businesses. LISC is sponsoring the salary for the professional who will consult with the corridor to develop the web site, devise a schedule of events, develop a retail development package, etc. The members were impressed by the number and variety of businesses on this mature corridor.

Amoeba Art Shop ($10,000)
Website: http://www.amoebaartshop.com/about.php
Amoeba Art Shop requested $10,000 to establish a new framing component to the business. The first shop was established in Mt Airy but it has experienced a downturn due to the construction. The new location at Sherman Mills is supporting the home store. There is room to create a framing area at Sherman Mills which will generate additional revenue and respond to customer demand. http://www.amoebaartshop.com/about.php

Geechee Girl Rice House ($9,963)
Website: http://www.geecheegirlricecafe.com/
Geechee Girl Rice House serves traditional Gullah cookery based on the West African people of the Sea Islands and coastal areas of the Carolinas, Georgia and Northern Florida. This multi-part grant will allow the owner-chef to update and enhance operations: a new dishwasher, a laptop, web site upgrades and improved signage. The design of new signage for the front of the building has been donated by a volunteer architect from the Community Design Collaborative and will complement the architecture of the façade and existing signage on the side of the building. The web site will enhance catering offerings and unify the graphic image with the logo.

New Angle Lounge ($10,000)
New Angle Lounge requested $10,000 for predevelopment costs to renovate and update a family owned bar into a full service restaurant. The Furman family has owned and operated bars and restaurants in West Philadelphia for almost 40 years. This crossroads location on Lancaster Avenue was the gateway feature studied by the Community Design Collaborative: Infill Philadelphia to update and anchor the neighborhood. A multi-functional team of consultants has been put together by Peoples Emergency CDC to drive this project to realization.

K&A Business Association ($10,000)
Website: http://www.impactservices.org/econ_dev/business/kaba.php
The Program Committee approved $10,000 toward labor and trash cans based on the long term commitment to continuing the clean up in the next fiscal year. The momentum created by the Mayor’s Cleanup in April stimulated interest in keeping the neighborhood cleaner. Impact Services will assume funding to continue this effort during the next fiscal year.

Wadsworth Avenue Retail Study ($3,075)
The Mt. Airy Revitalization Corporation (MARC) requested $3,075 to hire Chris Johansen from Market Knowledge to conduct customer surveys, mystery shopping reviews and a community debriefing. The goals of the project are for merchants to engage customers, evaluate the customer experience and implement changes to operations as a result.

Mt. Airy USA ($2,340)
http://www.mtairyusa.org/
Mt. Airy USA applied for a grant to revamp the web site and translate the recently published retail and restaurant guide into a web-based asset. Construction projects on Germantown Avenue have hindered shoppers and diners from accessing this vital corridor. Promoting “buy local” branding will help businesses sustain traffic during the traffic interruption and build a brand for the long term.