RELEASE: Gov. Whitmer Announces Funding for 63 Main Street Small Businesses Across Michigan, Creating 444 New Jobs

July 29, 2025

Gov. Whitmer Announces Funding for 63 Main Street Small Businesses Across Michigan, Creating 444 New Jobs

Match on Main grants will create 166 new full-time and 278 part-time jobs, activating over 107,000 square feet of vacant and underutilized space

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) support for 63 small businesses across Michigan through the MEDC’s Match on Main program. The $1.49 million in grants awarded to small local businesses will create resiliency and strengthen downtowns in Main Street communities throughout the state.

The Match on Main program serves as a tool to support new or expanding place-based businesses by providing up to $25,000 in funding for them to launch or grow in core downtown areas and commercial districts. The FY25 Match on Main application window yielded a total of 133 applicants from 59 organizations – the highest participation rate in the program’s five-year history.

“Michigan’s small businesses are the heart of our downtowns,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today’s Match on Main grants will provide 63 small businesses across the state with the support they need to grow, thrive, and create bustling, vibrant main streets. By investing in our communities and developing attractive places across the state, we will continue to make Michigan a place where businesses and families choose to locate, grow and succeed.”

Following the results of a five-year program impact study conducted by Guidehouse, the MEDC doubled its investment into Match on Main with the MSF board approving an allocation of $1.5 million to the program for FY25 in December 2024, ensuring Michigan’s small businesses continue to succeed in the state.

“Match on Main is a critical tool for supporting place-based small businesses and communities across Michigan, serving as a catalyst in driving small business investment and opportunities for growth,” said Amy Rencher, Senior Vice President of Small Business & Talent at MEDC. “Since 2019, we’ve made a significant impact on small businesses and our local communities through the Match on Main program, with $17 million in private investment leveraged from awarded businesses and hundreds of jobs created and retained. Through Match on Main, we’re continuing to foster economic growth throughout the state one entrepreneur at a time.”

FY25 Match on Main Recipients

Of the FY25 Match on Main grantees awarded, 17 are new businesses and 46 are existing businesses, including 20 restaurants, 22 retail establishments, four service businesses, and 17 other businesses that demonstrate a commitment to revitalizing community infrastructure and boosting local employment. Additionally, 50 businesses selected are located within Geographically Disadvantaged Areas.

MATCH ON MAIN FY 25 - AWARDEES

Eligible Applicant (Awardee)

Legal Name of the Business

DBA, If Applicable

Total Grant Award

Region 1

City of Escanaba Downtown Development Authority

Lake Effect Distillery LLC

$25,000.00

City of Houghton

Cork & Beans, LLC

Beviamo Vino

$25,000.00

City of Ironwood

Yoopers Uncorked LLC

Superior Gales Wine & Spirits

$25,000.00

City of Munising Downtown Development Authority

Upper Peninsula Inspired LLC

$25,000.00

City of Negaunee

Samara Floral Company

$25,000.00

Marquette Downtown Development Authority

Bluff Street Station, LLC

$25,000.00

Region 2

Charlevoix Downtown Development Authority

Penny Lodge, LLC

Dockside Books

$25,000.00

City of Cadillac

Renegade Cafe

$25,000.00

City of Petoskey Downtown Development Authority

Loveland Development

PEcado

$25,000.00

Village of Benzonia

Hill Top Soda Shoppe, LLC

$25,000.00

Village of Benzonia

Mills Community House Association

$14,722.15

Village of Elk Rapids

Le Bos LLC

Bos Wine

$25,000.00

Region 3

Cheboygan Downtown Development Authority

Right Brain, LLC

Creation Station

$25,000.00

City of Alpena Downtown Development Authority

Clem's Property LLC

Clem's Riverside Eatery

$25,000.00

City of East Tawas

Total Human Resources

Relax LLC

$25,000.00

City of Rogers City Downtown Development Authority

International Sports Bar, LLC

$25,000.00

City of Tawas City

Tawas Axe N Lanes, LLC

$25,000.00

West Branch Township

Klemmer's Processing LLC.

$25,000.00

Region 4

City of Allegan

Lunabode, LLC

$25,000.00

City of East Grand Rapids

K5 Restaurants LLC

Jose Babushka's

$25,000.00

City of Greenville

Kristina Gould LLC

Bound Beauty

$25,000.00

City of Hart

S. Hegg Real Estate, LLC

$25,000.00

City of Muskegon Heights

Urban Apparel LLC

$25,000.00

City of Plainwell

Happy Hang Cafe LLC

MI Grounds

$25,000.00

City of Wayland Downtown Development Authority

Acqua in Vino LLC

$25,000.00

OTONO, LLC

$25,000.00

Hudsonville Downtown Development Authority

Leaping Panda Hobbies LLC

Leaping Panda Hobbies

$21,172.25

Main Street Downtown Development Authority of the City of Grand Haven

Fortino's Store, LLC or Fortino's Building, LLC

$25,000.00

Village of Baldwin

Jones Homemade Ice Cream Shoppe

$25,000.00

Village of Shelby

Tienda La Palma LLC

$25,000.00

Region 5

Bay City

Bonejacked Vintage

$13,070.75

Middle Michigan Development Corporation - Clare

Cardinal & Clover, LLC

$25,000.00

Middle Michigan Development Corporation - Mt Pleasant

Mt Pleasant School of Dance

$22,756.91

Middle Michigan Development Corporation - Harrison

Residential and Commercial Marketing, LLC

$14,865.30

Saginaw Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

CWC Property Holdings LLC

Savoy Bar & Grill

$25,000.00

Region 6

City of Laingsburg Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

DG Hair Design

$25,000.00

Lapeer Downtown Development Authority

The Doghouse Coffee LLC

The Doghouse Coffee

$25,000.00

Owosso Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Amy's Place Limited Liability Company

$25,000.00

Village of Cass City

The Oak Room CC LLC

The Oak Room

$25,000.00

Region 7

Downtown Development Authority of the City of St. Johns

The Minty Mitten

$16,172.01

Old Town Commercial Association - Lansing

Media Advantage, LLC

Media Advantage

$18,900.00

Region 8

City of Bronson

Economy Garage, LLC

$24,552.25

City of Coldwater Downtown Development Authority

Children's Museum of Branch County, Inc.

$25,000.00

City of Kalamazoo

Matchacita LLC

$19,637.00

City of Niles Downtown Development Authority/Main Street Program

Locri, LLC.

Front Street Pizza Pub

$25,000.00

Comstock Center Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Jerome Hardin

Rooney's Soul Food Wagon

$25,000.00

Downtown Development Authority of the City of South Haven

Nature's Country Cupboard

$25,000.00

Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance

Bogar Theatre LLC

Bogar Theatre

$25,000.00

Sturgis Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Layered Clothing, LLC

$25,000.00

Village of Marcellus Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Flyover Art

$8,500.00

Village of Stevensville

Applied Arts, LLC

$25,000.00

Region 9

Downtown Development Authority of the City of Adrian

Ghidrahs Mind Body Spirit

Ghidrahs Mystic She Ways

$25,000.00

Downtown Development Authority of the City of Ypsilanti

Catacombs at Bella Vita, Bella Vita Bistro

$25,000.00

Jackson Downtown Development Authority

Ogma Brewing Co.

$25,000.00

Saline Main Street

The State of Authenticity LLC

TSOA

$25,000.00

Tecumseh Downtown Development Authority

Harvest Chocolate, LLC

$25,000.00

Tecumseh Downtown Development Authority

Rosie's Tecumseh Cafe LLC

$25,000.00

Region 10

City of Farmington

Ceramic Studio LLC

Fired and Fused

$25,000.00

City of Ferndale

Drifter Coffee

$25,000.00

City of Romulus

Deranged Haunt Attraction, LLC

$20,901.60

Grosse Pointe Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Atelier, Inc.

Chez Loulou Salon

$22,636.70

Oak Park Corridor Improvement Authority

Rhythm Wellness Center LLC

$22,500.00

West Downtown Dearborn Development Authority (WDDDA)

The Great Commoner Dearborn, LLC

The Great Commoner

$25,000.00

Recipients include:

Hudsonville, where Leaping Panda Hobbies LLC is planning to implement several strategic initiatives to enhance their store’s offerings and create a memorable experience for patrons, including expanding their product line, constructing a four-wheel drive course and renovating the store to accommodate increased display space, gaming tables and a more inviting environment for the community.

St. Johns, where The Minty Mitten is planning to expand and enhance its established retail business that currently supports over 70 Michigan-based vendors through wholesale and consignment partnerships. The proposed project includes the creation of a licensed kitchen within the shop’s rear workspace, enabling the business to support local food producers limited by cottage law and expand its inventory of locally made goods.

Marquette, where Bluff St. Station, LLC, plans to use Match on Main funds to assist with the cost of the interior renovation of a historic building located in the heart of Marquette's downtown district. The renovation will include floor-to-ceiling surface renovations, installation of new bathroom units, light fixtures, installation of a garage door which will open to a patio facing the main street, and many other improvements. It will also include installation of technology and equipment to host weddings and social gatherings as well as businesses’ events, becoming a community asset.

“The Match on Main Grant plays a pivotal role in revitalizing downtown areas by providing the financial resources needed to spur economic development,” said Heather Hanover, executive director of St. Johns PSD/DDA. “The use of this grant program in Downtown St Johns has allowed for the retention and expansion of small businesses during these uncertain economic times. The Downtown Board is thankful that we have another tool to help our small businesses succeed.”

“The Match on Main program has been a powerful tool in our ongoing efforts to transform downtown Marquette,” said Tara Laase-McKinney, executive director of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority. “It not only helps us revitalize key areas that need renewed focus, but also supports established businesses looking to grow their presence and impact. A great example is Velodrome Coffee Co., which used Match on Main to relocate into a long-vacant building near NMU, tripling its seating and creating a welcoming community space for students and locals alike. This kind of momentum inspires additional investment and improvements, encouraging other business owners to take pride in their spaces and seek out opportunities through programs like our Downtown Facade Grant and the MEDC RAP Grant. With support from programs like Match on Main, we're not just imagining a stronger downtown, we're watching it take shape, one storefront at a time.”

Michigan’s small businesses are a vital part of the state’s economy, employing more than 1.8 million people. Helping businesses to open and grow is a key focus of the MEDC, and the Match on Main Street program provides opportunities for new and expanding businesses located in Main Street districts to ‘Make It in Michigan.’

Get more information on the Match on Main program.

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