(Washington, DC) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins today announced a round of awards for the Great Streets Small Business Capital Improvement Program. The grants aim to stimulate small business creation, expansion, and retention while also creating new job opportunities for District residents along Great Streets corridors and in surrounding areas.  

At a ceremony held this morning at recipient business DC Dragons Martial Arts Training Center, located at 1731 Rhode Island Avenue NE, the Great Streets Small Business Capital Improvement Program awarded 29 recipients more than $2.1 million in grant monies.  

“Congratulations to each of today’s awardees,” said Mayor Gray. “As small business owners, you are each positive contributors to the District economy, and your businesses are strong evidence of the local community’s presence in the consumer market amid the District’s ongoing renaissance. The awards you each received today will allow you as entrepreneurs the opportunity to further expand your operations, streamline costs, add new job opportunities and strengthen your presence in your corridors.”

Businesses in eleven corridors throughout the District were eligible for today’s round of awards.  The corridors are 7th Street NW, Bladensburg Road NE, Georgia Avenue NW, H Street NE, Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and South Capitol Street SE, Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road NE, North Capitol Street NW/NE, Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE, Rhode Island Avenue NE and Connecticut Avenue NW.

Today’s awardees are as follows:

• Halcyon Salon, located at 1326 8th Street NW, is a neighborhood-serving hair salon that will use its $73,531.97 award to purchase and install a new awning and signage and beautify a side wall.
• Wanda’s Hair Studio and Barber Shop, located at 1851 7th Street NW, is a neighborhood-serving hair salon that will use its $41,526.14 award to install new signage and equipment.
• Central Communications, located at 1915 7th Street NW, is a retail cellular communications business that will use its $50,000 award for store and equipment upgrades.
• Ivey and Coney, located at 1537 7th Street NW, is a new neighborhood, Midwestern-style eatery that will use its $85,000.00 award to expand into the 7th Street corridor.
• Wonder Automotive, located at 1111 Bladensburg Road NE, is an automobile repair shop that will use its $85,000 award for building renovations and signage to attract new customers.
• African Hair Braiding, located at 3553 Georgia Avenue NW, is a neighborhood-serving hair salon that will use its $20,403.80 award for interior renovations.
• Aboil Café, located at 5503 Georgia Avenue NW, is a neighborhood-serving eater that will use its $85,000 award for storefront improvements.
• Head to Toe Beauty Bar, located at 3929 Georgia Avenue NW, is a salon and barbershop in the Petworth neighborhood that will use its $39,308.72 award for electrical and plumbing system upgrades and for the purchase of new salon equipment.
• Buxton Glory International Market, located at 4013 Georgia Avenue NW, is a local market specializing in international products that will use its $85,000 award for store renovations.
• Culture Coffee, located at 709 Kennedy Street NW, a neighborhood-serving coffee and sandwich shop on the Georgia Avenue corridor will use its $11,500 award for façade improvements, to install new signage, and to create an outdoor seating area for its customers.
• Grace Filled Hands Hair Studio, located at 5300 Georgia Avenue NW, is a local hair salon and day spa that will use its $74,000 award to add more workstations and renovate and expand its reception and waiting area.
• Imagine Photography, located at 3717 Georgia Avenue NW, is a photography studio that will use it $85,000 award for property renovations at its new Georgia Avenue location.
  • Willow Fashion, located at 843 Upshur Street NW, a local store specializing in clothing, accessories, gifts, and housewares will use its $85,000 award for both façade and interior renovations.
• MRS Tax Center, located at 418 H Street NE, is a financial advisory services company that has recently located on the H Street corridor and will use its $85,000 award for renovations to both its interior and exterior space.
• Uniontown Bar and Grill, located at 2200 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, is a recently re-opened cornerstone restaurant in the Historic Anacostia community that will use its $85,000 to renovate its second floor in order to meet increasing client demand for additional seating.
• National Service Contractors, located at 2007 B Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, a facility management and general contracting company, will use its $85,000 award for plumbing and electrical upgrades.
• Nelson’s Welding, located at 1101 W St SE, was established more than 15 years ago “on the belief that small businesses can be responsible and profitable while delivering exceptional products and services.” The company will use its $85,000 award for improvements to its classroom, kitchen and bathrooms.
• Washington Business Group, located at 2759 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, is an architecture, engineering and construction management company that is “committed to making the DC Metropolitan Area a better place to live and work, one building, and one community at a time.” The company will use its $85,000 award to install rooftop solar panels and perform façade improvements.
• East River Bagel, located at 4058 Minnesota Avenue NE, is a new café serving Ward 7 that will use its $85,000 award for electrical and plumbing upgrades, as well as HVAC, restroom, and cabinetry installations.
• Northside Medical Services Corporation, located at 4121 Minnesota Avenue NE, an occupational health and health screening services company, will use its $45,330 award for install an ADA Compliant ramp and restroom, HVAC system, and a new hearing and vision booth.
• Cornerstone Bar Group, located at 1648 North Capitol Street NW, will use its $85,000 award to convert a vacant building on the site into a new restaurant to serve the Truxton Circle, Bloomingdale, and Eckington neighborhoods.
• Earl Howard Studios, located at 2528 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, is a local photography studio that will use its $85,000 award for façade improvements.
• The Avenue Day Spa, located at 2125 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is a salon that will use its $85,000 award for store improvements and to install new signage.
• DC Dragons Martial Arts Training Center, located at 1731 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is a family owned and operated martial arts studio that will use its $69,500 award to renovate its facility.
• The Material World Boutique, located at 2121 Rhode Island Avenue NE, a retail store on the Rhode Island Avenue corridor will use its $85,000 award for façade improvements and equipment upgrades.
• Provost, located at 2129 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is a new restaurant that will use its $85,000 award for façade and space improvements.
• AA Enterprise, located at 3010 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is an automobile repair shop that will use its $73,000 award to install digital signage.
• ICHPROP, located at 1601 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is a restaurant serving the Langdon and Brookland communities that will use its $85,000 award for streetscape and rear outdoor area upgrades.
• P & G Counseling and Educational Institute, located at 2218 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is a mental health services company that will use its $84,996 award to renovate both its interior and exterior space.

“The District intends to continue working with local business owners to keep their businesses growing and thriving,” said Deputy Mayor Hoskins. “We know the importance of small business owners and what their businesses represent for residents, and we want the character of them all to be reflective of the entrepreneurial spirit behind them.”

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