Match on Main Grants awarded to 63 Main Street Small Businesses Across Michigan, Creating 444 New Jobs

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 DDA		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 DDA		Upper Peninsula Inspired LLC				$25,000.00
City of Negaunee		Samara Floral Company				$25,000.00
Marquette DDA		Bluff Street Station, LLC				$25,000.00
Region 2
Charlevoix DDA		Penny Lodge, LLC		Dockside Books		$25,000.00
City of Cadillac		Renegade Cafe				$25,000.00
City of Petoskey DDA		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 DDA		Right Brain, LLC		Creation Station		$25,000.00
City of Alpena DDA		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 DDA		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 DDA		Acqua in Vino LLC				$25,000.00
Grand Rapids DDA		OTONO, LLC				$25,000.00
Hudsonville DDA		Leaping Panda Hobbies LLC		Leaping Panda Hobbies		$21,172.25
Main Street DDA 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 DDA		CWC Property Holdings LLC		Savoy Bar & Grill		$25,000.00
Region 6
City of Laingsburg DDA		DG Hair Design				$25,000.00
Lapeer DDA		The Doghouse Coffee LLC		The Doghouse Coffee		$25,000.00
Owosso 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
St. Johns PSD/DDA		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 DDA		Children's Museum of Branch County, Inc.				$25,000.00
City of Kalamazoo		Matchacita LLC				$19,637.00
City of Niles DDA/Main Street Program		Locri, LLC.		Front Street Pizza Pub		$25,000.00
Comstock Center DDA		Jerome Hardin		Rooney's Soul Food Wagon		$25,000.00
DDA 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 DDA		Layered Clothing, LLC				$25,000.00
Village of Marcellus DDA		Flyover Art				$8,500.00
Village of Stevensville		Applied Arts, LLC				$25,000.00
Region 9
Adrian DDA		Ghidrahs Mind Body Spirit		Ghidrahs Mystic She Ways		$25,000.00
Ypsilanti DDA		Catacombs at Bella Vita, Bella Vita Bistro				$25,000.00
Jackson DDA		Ogma Brewing Co.				$25,000.00
Saline Main Street		The State of Authenticity LLC		TSOA		$25,000.00
Tecumseh DDA		Harvest Chocolate, LLC				$25,000.00
Tecumseh DDA		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 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. 

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.