Business grants aim to help OTR entrepreneurs grow customer base

Four Over-The-Rhine businesses recently received funds through the Business Innovation Challenge Grant and the Business First Grant, both of which aim to help local businesses grow and help strengthen OTR’s economy.
 
“The Business Innovation Challenge supports existing OTR businesses by helping them flourish, expand and ultimately grow new products and services,” says Emilie Johnson, president of the Over-the-Rhine Chamber, which helps facilitate the grants. “The mission of the Business First Grant is to help benefit the city by strengthening the local economy, increase business and employment opportunities and animate the sidewalks of OTR.”
 
The Business Innovation Challenge Grant launched in April 2014 to focus on existing businesses. Segway Cincinnati/The Garage OTR, MOTR Pub and Cincy Shirts each received $1,000 from Fifth Third Bank to develop their new business strategies over the next six to eight months.
 
Segway Cincinnati/The Garage OTR plans to create a new guided Segway tour of OTR and downtown to feature public art and art institutions. MOTR Pub is interested in creating and hosting an online OTR interactive parking map. And Cincy Shirts hopes to create a wall of stadium seats for their in-store T-shirt display as well as develop a line of stadium seat furniture.
 
Artichoke, a new kitchenware store planning to open at 1824 Elm St., received a $10,000 Business First Grant. The grant offers unique businesses that are new to OTR the opportunity to open, expand or grow their services in the neighborhood.
 
Artichoke will be housed in a renovated, historic brick Italianate building near Findlay Market. The store will offer cookware and have a demo kitchen to showcase recipes featuring produce from market vendors.