Small Business Incentive Interest Show
“Covington is still a place people want to live.”
COVINGTON, Ky. – A pet grooming and retail business, a family-owned Nepalese restaurant, a Hawaiian-inspired restaurant and a historic building set to be renovated are among 10 businesses that will receive funding from the city's internationally recognized small business program.
The Covington City Commission this week approved five rent assistance grants and five cosmetic improvement incentives that will spur private investment, create new jobs and foster a more attractive business climate in the Covington area.
The incentive comes in the third round of funding this fiscal year from the city's Small Business Program, which sets aside $150,000 per year to help early-stage businesses with their first year's rent and help commercial property owners renovate exteriors or restore historic electronic signs.
“This funding has seen many new businesses revitalize spaces that have been vacant for at least 20 years, proving that Covington is still a place people want to live,” said Patrick Duffy, Covington's business retention and expansion specialist. “In that regard, we have three businesses relocating to Covington from outside, Noteworthy Tattoo, Bridges and Southside Strength Company, as well as one Covington business expanding by over 150% of its original footprint, and one major historic renovation with the Landwehr Building project, expanding by over 150% of its original footprint.”
The incentives awarded Tuesday totaled $60,000, with five new businesses and five commercial facade projects receiving $6,000 each.
The largest project is actually a collection of properties that received two $6,000 facade grants. The iconic Landwehr Buildings, located at 824, 826 and 828 Madison Avenue, were home to Landwehr Hardware & Toys for over 100 years. This esteemed building houses three commercial storefronts and 12 apartments on the upper floors in the city's central business district.
“I've always admired the Landwehr building,” said Tony Kreutzjans, owner of Orleans Development, “and since it's next to our office, we just had to do this project.”
Each shop in the building will return to its original design with some variation, all transom glass will be restored to allow more natural light into the commercial spaces, and the ventilation passages between the buildings will also be restored, allowing daylight to enter the rear of the buildings.
Orleans Development plans to maintain the original square footage of the building's 12 apartments on the upper floors, but will make some changes to the floor plans to include larger, more comfortable bathrooms. Kreutzjans said all of the original trim, fireplaces, doors and floors will remain intact while Orleans will update the mechanicals, bathrooms and kitchens. In a nod to the building's storied history, the development will be named Landwehr Flats.
The property at 824 Madison will undergo exterior renovations worth about $17,100, while exterior work at 826-28 Madison will be a $34,200 project.
The store at 824 Madison will be the second location and expansion of an existing business in Covington, whose name will be announced at a later date. Orleans plans to open workforce housing on the second floor of a building that has been vacant for more than 20 years. The store at 826-28 Madison will be available for lease once complete. The upper floors will also be workforce housing.
Chelsea O'Connell, a partner on the project, said the funding from the city's small business program was “essential.”
“Initially, it was difficult to secure financing for this project,” O'Connell says. “Money was tight and banks were cautious about lending at the time. The city's funding was really essential, otherwise we may not have been able to update the façade to our liking.”
Kreutzjans also noted the role of Northern Kentucky Catalytic Fund as Orleans' financing partner, which he said was critical to the project.
Other incentives:
$6,000 to Pasquale Performance (dba Southside Strength Company). Formerly located in Newport, Pasquale Performance's Southside Strength Company is a premier strength training facility that has signed a five-year lease in a vacant building at 319 Madison Avenue. The new facility is a significant improvement over the previous space and will allow for growth for both clients and staff. Joining the city's “Covington Experience” category, Pasquale Performance is a woman-owned business that will add two new employees and a new salary of $100,000. $6,000 to 4 Hounds Pet Services (4 Hounds Gear and Grooming). 4 Hounds provides grooming services and pet supplies to pet owners. The company is located at 339 W. Pike Street in the Westside neighborhood and is LGBTQ+ owned. $6,000 to Bridges Covington LLC. Bridges, a fast-casual, family-owned restaurant serving Nepalese cuisine, is expanding into its fourth Covington location at 11 W. 7th St. With a complete business plan and future projections, Bridges will fill a second vacant space in the Mutter Gottes area. $6,000 to Noteworthy Tattoo Co. LLC. Longtime Hyde Park operation Noteworthy is relocating to the previously vacant 521 Madison Ave. $6,000 to KeAloha's Kitchen. The veteran woman-owned Hawaiian-inspired restaurant has expanded from its previous 800 square feet in Latonia to more than 4,000 square feet at 529 Main St. in the heart of Mainstrasse Village.
The owners of both businesses said city funding helped them start and grow their businesses.
Amy Abafo, owner of KeAloha's Kitchen, said the small business incentive will help with the costly relocation and expansion of her take-out establishment to the former Dee Felice restaurant site.
“When we moved to Mainstrasse, all our expenses quadrupled,” Abafo says. “The small business incentive helps a lot. We started out running a food truck, then moved to takeaway and now we're taking off here, which is big. We went from being a sole proprietorship to a limited liability company and now we have employees and a payroll person.”
The co-owner of 4-Hounds Pet Services said his company's grant funding will have similar results.
“The rent assistance is great because it's income we didn't budget for when we started the business,” said Christopher Davis, who co-owns the business with his husband, Kenneth Mulvey. “We can reinvest that money back into the business, whether that's hiring people, advertising or buying merchandise. It's been a very positive experience. The entire economic development team has been so supportive.”
$6,000 to Covert Furniture Co.: A $35,200 facade project for a long-abandoned, vacant commercial building at 25 Shaler St. in the Austinburg/Eastern Corridor. The owner is replacing windows and a fence facing the street and adding new paint, lighting, signage, garage doors and office doors. The building will be the future home of Covert Design + Build. $6,000 to 2445 Madison Ave., home to Kelley's Trim Shop. The building is directly across from Holmes High School in the city's Eastern Corridor. This $12,480 facade project includes custom garage door graphics and new paint. $6,000 to 902 Madison Ave., home to Hat Trick's Sports Bar. The $23,985 facade project will include lighting, awnings, painting, storefront and door improvements. The owners hope the facade improvements will attract tourists and drive more economic development along Madison Avenue.
Applications are currently being accepted for the fourth and final round of small business incentives for 2024. The deadline is March 22nd.
For more information, contact Patrick Duffy at (859) 292-2141 or PDuffy@covingtonky.gov.
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