Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the St. Louis Development Corporation today announced the first group of businesses receiving grants through the Downtown Retail Incentive Program, a partnership aimed at attracting new businesses and increasing street-level vibrancy in Downtown St. Louis.
“Downtown St. Louis is the cultural hub of our region, and locally owned businesses are the heart of that hub,” said Tishaura O. Jones, Mayor of the City of St. Louis. “Through this public-private partnership, we are investing in Downtown to make it safe, vibrant, and beautiful for all who live, work, or visit our wonderful city!”
The program aims to enhance Downtown’s vibrancy by supporting pop-ups, new space buildouts, and outdoor expansions. Kurt Weigle, Chief Downtown Officer for Greater St. Louis, Inc., stated: “Our goal is to increase vibrancy and activity Downtown by attracting and growing businesses at street level, and there has been a very positive response so far.”
The first group of awardees includes cocktail lounges, restaurants, and beauty and skincare businesses. Neal Richardson, President and CEO of SLDC, remarked: “Existing businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy, so it’s exciting to see the first round of investments go toward supporting entrepreneurs who are committed to expanding their presence in Downtown by bringing new energy and amenities along Washington Avenue.”
Among the recipients is Pour Decisions, a mobile cocktail provider establishing its first brick-and-mortar location at 1321 Washington Avenue with a pop-up grant. Whip It Goods Skincare will open a pop-up location at 1304 Washington Ave., introducing a retail concept that combines traditional retail with experiential skincare workshops.
Levels Nigerian Cuisine will use an “Inside Out” program grant to transform their outdoor storefront at 1405 Washington Ave into a more inviting area.
“We believe in Downtown St. Louis and are excited to be part of the retail momentum here,” said Ashley Morgan, owner of Whip It Goods Skincare.
GSL and SLDC have partnered to provide over $350,000 for these incentives as part of Design Downtown STL.
For media inquiries:
City of St. Louis: Conner Kerrigan | 314-857-8741 | KerriganC@StLouis-mo.gov
Greater St. Louis, Inc.: Tony Wyche | 314-398-9991 | Tony@GreaterSTLInc.com
St. Louis Development Corporation: Sara Freetly | 816-820-0916 | Sara@JustBeCandid.com
