Downtown Dallas businesses battling through the repercussions of COVID-19 are now dealing with another blowing issue: broken windows and chairs, graffiti, and stolen merchandise.
“The recent damages were just the icing on top,” said Beau Nazary, co-owner of Izmir Management and its Cafe Izmir restaurant. “We will rebuild, and we will survive one way or another.”
Downtown Dallas Inc. has established a Storefront Restoration Program aimed to help downtown businesses that were vandalized during recent demonstrations. The program will cover businesses with losses not covered by insurance or other means.
“We immediately saw we had resources to be able to help these businesses,” said Kourtny Garrett, CEO and president of DDI. “The fund is answering a very specific and dire need. Creating the fund was exciting in the sense that we could make a difference, but it was certainly somber in the sense that we never thought we’d be helping in this way for this type of purpose.”
Kyla Porter, Pink Toes Nail Bar owner, was one of the businesses affected by COVID-19, but fortunately, with the help of DDI, boarded up the windows of her salon early enough to prevent looters from damaging her storefront.
“DDI has gone above and beyond to provide businesses with so much priceless support in times of need,” Porter said
DDI, which manages the public improvement district downtown, will award the grants. They will equal $5,000 or the total estimated costs for the storefront restoration, whichever figure is less, until program funds are exhausted.
Businesses must be located within the Downtown Improvement District boundaries to receive funding.
In order to qualify for the grant, damages must have been sustained in May or June of this year. Businesses must also provide evidence of uninsurable losses.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. on June 12. Click here for more information and to apply for a grant.
“DDI is happy to be in a place where we can help these businesses recover in some small way, and we hope the community will come together to help them even further as we work through recovery,” Garrett told D CEO.
