$5,000 in grants awarded to Calico Rock area businesses
CALICO ROCK — The Calico Rock Community Foundation has awarded $5,000 in grants to 20 small businesses in the community. Small businesses have been hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Calico Rock tourism was down 70 percent over the previous year.
“Our local economy is dependent on tourism,”Calico Rock Mayor Greg Hamby said. “Tourist dollars support our gas stations, restaurants, lodging, fishing docks and shopping. Those local businesses then support our auto repair shops, grocery stores, hair salons and more.”
The city’s grant program was designed to support local businesses during the winter when it’s particularly hard. These 20 businesses employ 108 people in the community, which means the businesses support 108 families. The businesses reported an average of a 35 percent decline in sales from last year. All of them have experienced increased costs as a result of higher minimum wages, pandemic safety requirements and increased costs for their purchases.
The grant program was funded by proceeds from The Marketplace and the Artisan Gift Shop, which are owned by the foundation. The foundation uses these proceeds to support the Calico Rock Museum and Visitor Center and community revitalization projects. With the pandemic, the museum could not offer educational programming in 2020; therefore, the funds were used to support local businesses.
“I was a small-business owner myself, and I know just how hard it can be to make ends meet, even when there isn’t a pandemic raging,” said Gloria Sanders, executive director of the community foundation and Main Street Calico Rock.
The average grant was $250, which can make a huge difference for a small business that is operating on less than $50,000 a year in sales. These businesses have to buy their goods, pay their utilities, make a mortgage or pay rent, pay employees and support their families. The grants were open to any business operating within the city limits of Calico Rock or licensed to operate by the city.