Medford Awards $75K To Improve Storefronts

MEDFORD, MA — Close to two-dozen Medford small businesses and property owners are receiving $75,000 in grant funding through a new round of city Small Business Façade Improvement Program grants, officials announced last week.

The program provides matching funding up to $5,000 to recipients interested in front-facing exterior improvements, such as lighting upgrades or work on awnings, signage, window boxes and/or paint, as noted in last week’s announcement.

Grant recipients also receive design and construction management assistance from a city-designated urban design consultant.

The program, officials write in an online program description, aims to encourage property and business owners to improve their storefronts. The program, officials continue, operates with the understanding that improvements in commercial areas "can lead to revitalization of neglected or older commercial districts and help small businesses improve visibility and curb appeal and attract more customers."

Funding this month follows a previous round of grants last year that sent $50,000 to local businesses and property owners.

Grant funding for 23 local recipients, officials recently said, aims to bring “new vibrancy” to commercial areas in Medford.

“Our small businesses are incredibly resilient and have weathered historic challenges in the past few years,” Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said in a recent statement. “I’m thrilled that the City is able to contribute to helping our downtowns thrive through this grant programs and look forward to working with each of the grantees to bring their visions to life.”

Recipients getting money through the recently announced round of storefront improvement grants include:

• Alamo Roast Beef
• Blue Fuji Restaurant
• Deep Cuts Deli & Brewery
• Dynamic Computer Services
• E. Artistry
• EventThem
• Goulding School of Irish Dance
• King Boba Tea
• Salvatore’s
• Sanctuary United Church of Christ
• The Corner Studio
• The LOFT Hair Studio
• 6-10 High Street & 9-15 Main Street
• 25 Salem Street LLC
• 414-424 Salem Street

Officials said last week that they expect to begin seeing grant-funded storefront improvements in the spring and summer of 2023.

Beyond grant allocations, officials said Medford is looking to develop new storefront design guidelines for businesses and commercial property owners to reference while making improvements to their facilities.

Learn more about Medford’s storefronts grant program by clicking here. Anyone with questions can contact the Medford Office of Planning, Development, and Sustainability by phone at 781-393-2480 or by email at yniwa@medford-ma.gov.