Eastern Market Corporation just scored $60,000 for further developing Michigan's largest open-air farmers market.
Charter One is giving $60,000 tin grants to growing companies in Eastern Market as part of its Growing Communities program. The 32 businesses that have received the grants are food-related ventures that are based in Metro Detroit and at least have a strong connection to Eastern Market. The money will help those businesses buy specific pieces of equipment that will help them grow their bottom lines.
"They need that one piece of equipment to speed up their production or to open a new sales opportunity," says Dan Carmody, president of
Eastern Market Corp, the nonprofit that overseas the market and the surrounding historic district and helped disperse the grants.
Among the grant winners is
Labrosse Farm in Detroit, which specializes in raising and selling heirloom tomato plants. Its grant will pay for a greenhouse that will assist with the production of the tomato plants.
Trinosophes, a coffee shop and art space in Eastern Market, will use its grant to buy a double door commercial refrigerator.
Mootown Ice Cream & Desert Shoppe in Eastern Market will use its grant for a mobile ice cream cart.
Carmody says these small improvements are part of a "wholistic approach" toward improving Eastern Market's overall entrepreneurial ecosystem. Charter One has operated its growing Communities program since 2012 and has awarded $360,000 in grants to small food-related businesses (mostly in Eastern Market) over that time.
Source: Dan Carmody, president of Eastern Market Corp
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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