Small business owners in Fayetteville say ARPA funds helped during post pandemic economy

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — Fayetteville officials are finalizing their plans for how the city will allocate money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). A portion of the money has been going to Fayetteville’s small businesses since President Biden signed ARPA in 2021.

Those business owners say the grants have been helping them navigate a tough economy.

Ann Marie Haire of Carolina Specialties in Fayetteville says the business is thriving today at their new warehouse on Ramsey Street, in part because of the American Rescue Plan. The company had to move here during the pandemic because of flooding issues at their old location–and the building needed a new roof.

“Having the new roof created the right environment inside the building so that we could actually invite people in and feel good about it and be able to sell our items without wondering if we looked maybe shabby,” Haire said.

When ABC11 first spoke to them in 2022, Carolina Specialties was the first small business in Fayetteville to receive an ARPA grant–coming out to more than $41,000.

The city says it went on to approve grants for more than 60 other small businesses.

“We were probably running at about 70% with COVID,” Haire said. “So our boost with the building, the roof, the better location, all of that brought us back up probably an additional 30%.”

“You can drive through the corridors of the city and see those tangible, noticeable impacts on businesses that have been rehabilitated and updated in their appearance,” said Brook Redding, a special projects manager for the city of Fayetteville, “as well as members of the community who were employed during a hard portion of the pandemic as we recovered economically.”

SEE ALSO | Fayetteville extends a program that gives business grants to renovate, buy and beautify spaces

The city says it’s now reporting its strategy to the federal government, describing how city officials will use ARPA funds until the program officially ends in 2026. Haire says she sees how the aid is helping her small business and others throughout Fayetteville weather future economic trends.

“We have been around for 36 years now. I think we have seen the good, the bad and the ugly in business. I can’t imagine that this company would do anything but be here for as long as we want it to be.”