Daytona Beach offers grants to improve the look of businesses

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In an effort to generate more customers, the city of Daytona Beach is encouraging businesses to improve their establishments and is offering free money to do it.

Business owners can receive $50,000 or 80% of the project’s total cost for interior and exterior improvements.

Loans have a 0% interest rate and are forgivable in two years.

According to details of the program, the grants can only be used in the city’s five community redevelopment areas, which are Midtown, Main Street, Ballough Road, South Atlantic and Downtown

(City of Daytona)

Farah Coopman, who opened 35 Bistro and Wine Bar in July, signed up for the grant money and is already improving her brand-new establishment.

“It’s a French bistro. It’s mostly Mediterranean food,” said Coopman.

Coopman decided to open the bistro following the death of her husband and used a great deal of savings to make her wine bar dreams come true.

The eatery is located at 740 Main St Bridge in Daytona Beach and she believes the building was built in 1930 and says it has needed many costly repairs.

“I had to change the air conditioners, and it had old electricity wiring. And it helps to do improvement to the outside. It grant money will help me to do the façade and the sign,” said Coopman.

The entrepreneur is originally from France and both she and her husband always planned to retire to Volusia County.

City of Daytona Beach Redevelopment Project Manager Angela Armstrong says some of Daytona’s infrastructure needs updating and grants can save owners from going out of business.

“That’s one of the reasons we created this program because most of the buildings are very old and they need some repairs,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong says the grant money does not have to be paid back as long as the property is not sold, or the establishment does not go out of business within two years.

The city is encouraging business owners to apply for this grant and each application will be reviewed for approval on a case-by-case basis.

Click here for more information about the grant process.