$74M In Lifeline Federal Grants Went To Astoria, LIC's Eateries

ASTORIA-LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — 240 Astoria and Long Island City-based food business received lifeline grants from the federal government as part of the COVID-recovery packaged passed in January, new data shows.

The grants came from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a $28.6 billion fund aimed at supporting the devastated hospitality industry as part of the national COVID-19 Stimulus Package. Astoria and LIC's recipients, which received grants ranging from $3,500 to over $5 million, were revealed last week by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

In total 5,700 New York City food businesses received federal grants totaling $2.8 billion, but the now-depleted fund still shut out nearly two-thirds of applicants statewide, despite allocating some of the largest grants to franchises and well-funded restaurant groups — as well as markets, catering companies and luxury hotels, in the case of Astoria and LIC.

Funding discrepancies

27,000-plus food businesses in New York requested $9.63 billion in funding from the SBA, but the agency was only able to fulfill 9,800 applications in the state.

And, based on the grant structure, some of the New York establishments that received the most money from the fund are among the country's most well-known and well-funded eateries.

Single venue food businesses were eligible for up to $5 million in funding, and restaurant groups with fewer than 20 locations could apply for up to $10 million, which explains why David Chang's billionaire-backed Momofuku restaurant group secured a $6.8 million grant even though the average loan size was about $283,000, as Eater reported.

Also, while publicly traded companies weren't eligible for funding, franchise owners could apply for the SBA grants — and they did.

In Astoria and LIC, two Dunkin' Donut/Baskin-Robbins franchisees were awarded $357,000 and $430,000 apiece — over the neighborhoods average grant amount of $310,070. One Subway apparently based in the neighborhood got a grant for $500,000-plus.

Millions went to other chains citywide, like a Dunkin' Donuts on the Upper East Side that was awarded the fund's maximum grant of $10 million, and a group of local Panera Bread Stores that secured $6.72 million.

Another funding discrepancy that critics have pointed out is that the SBA was initially supposed to prioritize restaurants owned by women, veterans and members of other marginalized groups, but that aspect was halted after white business owners sued, alleging that the government was discriminating against them.

Restaurant Revitalization grants in Astoria and LIC

The 240 Restaurant Revitalization grant recipients in Astoria and LIC span the area's six ZIP codes.

Some recipients are are local spots, but others are well-known chains and large food companies based in the neighborhood. Among the businesses that got the 15 biggest grants in Astoria and LIC, only four are restaurants.

Here are the 15 neighborhood businesses that got the biggest grants:

1. Amy's Bread (a national bread company with a wholesale site at 4809 34th St): $5,292,644
2. Cloud Catering and Events, 4281 Hunter St: $5,000,000
3. Thomas Preti Events to Savor, 4342 10th St: $3,917,650.35
4. MBJ Cafeteria Corp Laguardia (gLaGuardia Community College's food purveyor), 3110 Thomson Ave: $2,330,612.84
5. Maiella, 4610 Center Blvd: $2,268,540.71
6. Astoria Vendors (gyro and coffee truck company based at 4025 Crescent St): $1,880,167.75
7. Unlimited Nuts (food cart brand based at 1015 45th Ave): $1,794,175
8. Casa Enrique, 548 49th Ave: $1,486,457
9. Bahari Estiatorio, 3114 Broadway: $1,331,358
10. Ravel Hotel Trademark Collection by Wyndham (luxury hotel in LIC): $1,230,195
11. Cranberry Market, 2802 42nd Rd: $1,179,543
12. Michael Scott Catering, 3611 33rd St: $1,176,287
13. The Gutter (bowling bar with a location in LIC), 1022 46th Ave: $1,107,198.11
14. SHI, 4720 Center Blvd: $997,332.5
15. Creative Concepts NYC (catering company based in LIC), 35 37 36th street: $897,375

Below, scroll through the full list of Astoria and LIC spots that received federal grants. (Note that many are listed under business aliases, but searching the name on the state's liquor license database can reveal each one's identity.)

If the spreadsheet does not display, view it here.

Patch editor Nick Garber contributed to this report.