Fort Worth OKs grants for businesses affected by hotel blast. Here’s how much they’ll get
Businesses affected by the Jan. 8 explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel will soon see significant financial help from the city.
The Fort Worth Local Development Corp. on Tuesday approved a $250,000 grant program to support five businesses on West Eighth Street that saw property damage and other issues as a result of the explosion.
“This is just something that the Economic Development Department wanted to initiate and hopefully help out some of these businesses,” said Ori Fernandez, assistant director of the Economic Development Department, while presenting the program at a board meeting of the Local Development Corp. on Tuesday.
Fernandez and Economic Development Director Robert Sturns said in the board meeting that the grant program would be for five businesses affected by the blast. But Fernandez said in a follow up phone call that five were found to be most in need, but others in the vicinity will be able to apply as well.
The businesses that could be eligible for grants are Thompson’s Bookstore speakeasy bar and cigar lounge, the law office of O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, the David Dalton Salon, Cowtown Segway Tours, La’Creamian ice cream shop, Barber’s Bookstore and J’s Burgers N’ More.
Eligible businesses can apply for up to $50,000 in grant money. The Fort Worth Economic Development Department expects to complete applications and disburse funds by the end of April.
Eligible businesses can use the grant funds for rent or mortgage payments, employee salaries, insurance and paid leave, the purchase of supplies necessary for offering alternative services such as delivery or curbside pickup, and other expenses approved by the Economic Development Department.
To be eligible, businesses are required to have been in their brick and mortar locations at least six months before the explosion, and they must be registered with the Texas Comptroller’s Office as taxpaying entities to the city of Fort Worth. They must also be engaged in legal activities and be able to provide financial records and other documents to support their claims to the grant.
Business owners eligible for the grants expressed excitement and relief at the news of the program’s approval.
“That would be a rainbow,” said Brian Perkins, owner of Barber’s Bookstore, at the corner of West Eighth and Throckmorton streets, said in a phone interview. “I think I can probably cover the window repairs for that.”
Two of his store’s windows were broken in the blast.
Lisa Jackson, owner of ice cream shop La’Creamian, said she hadn’t been notified of her business’ eligibility, but that the grant money would be “wonderful.”
Angeliki Farquhar, owner of David Dalton Salon, has had serious plumbing problems since the explosion. She paid around $2,000 to fix them.
“It would keep me afloat,” she said in an interview. “Everything has kind of been put on hold, because you don’t know what’s going on.”
She had to let an employee go, and the closure of West Eighth Street has caused problems for her customers, many of whom are elderly and have disabilities.
Dee Chirabandhu, owner of J’s Burgers N’ More, said she would wait for more information before deciding whether or not to apply for a grant.
Representatives for Thompson’s Bookstore and Cowtown Segway Tours did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A lawyer with O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo declined to comment.
Harrison Mantas contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 26, 2024 at 5:11 PM.
