After months of consideration, the Decatur Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is ready to award $25,000 in funding split between three online-only retail companies to open a brick-and-mortar location near the Decatur Downtown Square. The funding is part of the city’s Retail Incubator Program, which announced the competitive grant program back in August of 2021. The program was created to provide rental assistance for up to six businesses for six-month leases in the downtown area, as well as offer training and mentorship to the recipients from successful members of the local business community.
The three businesses which have been selected by DDA include ABETTERBUZZ Brand Goods, Dope Coffee Company and Royal Thanaka Natural Skincare, all of which met the program requirements and recently signed leases with the Decatur Development Authority. The stores will open on October 15th, 2021, at 431 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue sharing a six-month pop-up retail space owned by the City of Decatur.
ABETTERBUZZ Brand Goods is a gay owned and operated graphic apparel and accessory company based in Atlanta, Georgia which is focused on creating afforadable, high-quality goods that help support their community. Dope Coffee Company is a black-owned and focused beverage business, which creates specialized products that promote Black coffee culture and dispel stereotypes about premium coffee drinkers. Finally, Royal Thanka Natural Skincare is a socially concious skin care company concieved by Burmese immigrants Htwe Htwe and Myo Naing, who teamed up with Mary Ellen Sheehan of Ireland to create the brand.
In addition to the retail space, the companies will receive mentorship from established brick-and-mortar business owners including Sean Crotty (Kelly’s Market), Lisa Bobb (Squash Blossom), Raj Mehta (Tres Jolie Boutique) and Lori Ronca (Homegrown Decatur).
In a statement, DDA chair Conor McNally said that “We are thrilled with the three entrepreneurs helping us launch this program and proud of how well they showcase Decatur’s diversity, as they are owned and operated by women, people of color and a member of the LGBT community… These businesses represent the best of Decatur, so we certainly hope the community will visit them and make their long-term dreams a reality.”
The DDA and the City of Decatur hope that the program will help spur a return to in-person retail shopping in the downtown district, which is known for its diverse small business community. The program is based on similar, successful programs in places including Memphis, Tennessee and Dayton, Ohio. There is no indication if the program will be a one-off experiment or an on-going funding mechanism, something that is likely dependent on the success of these first three businesses.
