CEDAR PARK, Texas — As many small businesses search for ways to keep their doors open, the City of Cedar Park gave more than five dozen businesses a grant to help as they start doing "retail to-go."
Grit and Grace Boutique was one of those businesses. The owners, Amanda Madden and Shauna Cotton, said the grant came in the nick of time.
"99% of our business here in Cedar Park is brick and mortar," said Madden. "So it has definitely made a huge shift in the way that we operate it."
The business owners said they had to move into unfamiliar territory and temporarily make their brick-and-mortar boutique of four years into an online shop.
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"We are not even remotely close to doing on a daily basis what we would do in really an hour," said Madden.
Madden said they applied for countless federal grants and loans to keep their women's boutique open. With no success, they clung to hope, finally receiving a $5,000 grant from the City.
"They made it so easy and it came at the time where we needed it," said Madden. "We needed to be able to step up our website, we needed to be able to start curbside pickup and more online shopping."
She added, "It just came in a time where we really needed encouragement."
She said it took only a few days to get the money in their hands. Corbin Van Arsdale, the mayor of Cedar Park, said they are working on dispersing more money to small businesses.
"The feds just sent the county some more money, a lot of money," said Mayor Van Arsdale. "We are going to sort that out to give to more businesses."
Cotton and Madden said they will start curbside pickup on Tuesday.
"I just cannot reiterate enough how much we appreciate the City and how quickly they put everything into motion and just how much they really do appreciate and hear small business needs," they said.
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