Chelsea Bossert/Daily Mining Gazette Armando’s Restaurant in the Douglass House Saloon was announced to have received MEDC Match on Main grant money Tuesday. It will use the funds to upgrade its kitchen. 

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday more than $1.5 million in grants have been issued through the MEDC’s Match on Main program. Two Houghton businesses were listed as recipients.

Rhythm Bike Shop and Armando’s Restaurant/Douglass House Saloon, both in downtown Houghton, MEDC grants. City of Houghton Community and Business Development Manager Danielle Perkowitz said the two Houghton businesses will greatly benefit from these grants, along with the community.

“Any time a business is able to upgrade or offer better services that impacts the community by allowing them to have better access to stronger businesses, more services and more to do,” she said. “When these businesses receive funding that helps them, they just become better businesses that are only beneficial for the people who are gonna interact with those businesses.”

According to Perkowitz, the MEDC comes forth each year and asks municipalities if they have any businesses to apply for this grant. Houghton in particular facilitated these grants and applied for interested businesses. Perkowitz said the city was in conversation with both businesses throughout the application process.

“We let the business owners know that this grant will be available and we gave them the sort of guidelines for applying,” she said. “And so, those business owners took those applications and filled it with their own narrative viewpoint and what that money would do for their business.”

Perkowitz said Rhythm Bike Shop used the grant money to upgrade its Shelden Avenue entrance and upstairs showroom. It opened its Shelden Avenue entrance two weeks ago. Armando’s will use the grant money upgrade its kitchen and expand their food serving capabilities.

Managing Director of Small Business at the MEDC Chris Rishko said Match on Main has continued to help out new and existing small businesses stay ahead of the curve since the creation of the grant nine years ago.

“Match on Main continues to play an important role in strengthening Michigan’s downtowns and commercial districts by helping small businesses invest, grow, and thrive,” he said. “Since the program’s launch in 2019, Match on Main has helped generate significant private investment, support job creation and retention, and expand opportunities for entrepreneurs across the state.”

According to the MEDC, this grant cycle was the highest participation rate in the program’s history. There were 144 applicants from 83 communities who could receive up to $25,000. The total amount of grant money given was $1,573,936.

Perkowitz said any small business is welcome to talk to the city for future Match on Main grants, since it is always looking for applicants each year.

“In terms of the MEDC, if they have future Match on Main [grants] or other grants of that nature, we’re definitely there to support and help facilitate,” she said.