Sterling business incubator gets $50,000 boost from T-Mobile Hometown Grant

STERLING — Sterling’s retail incubator was named the recipient of a $50,000 Hometown Grant from T-Mobile, it was announced on Thursday.

The money will be used for construction costs “to bring these incubator units to life,” said Janna Groharing, executive director of Sterling Main Street.

The Shoppes at Grandon Plaza are six free-standing storefronts being erected on a lot at 310 Second Avenue — adjacent to Grandon Civic Center.

[ Sterling Main Street announces plans to have business incubator. ]

The plan is to open them by spring 2023.

In fact, Groharing said Sterling Main Street has opened a portal on its website — https://www.sterlingmainstreet.org/shoppes-at-grandon-plaza/ — where startup businesses can apply to become the first tenants. Those applications are due by Dec. 31.

If all goes to plan, an independent jury will select the vendors by February and they can start moving in by April.

Signs saying “Open for Business” can go up by May.

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Sterling T-Mobile store manager Brock Burlack presents a check to Sterling Main Street director Janna Groharing Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 outside of the Shoppes at Grandon Plaza. The $50,000 grant will go toward construction costs for the incubator pods. (Alex T. Paschal — apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)

When it started the project had a projected cost of $250,000 — the lot itself was donated by Sterling Today Inc.

Sterling Main Street has been seeking investors, but the grant is good news for moving things forward.

The stores themselves are single-story “chalets” with a footing of 12 feet by 16 feet that were designed by McCloud and Associates Architecture and are being constructed by students from buildings trade classes at Whiteside Area Career Center.

Each store can be leased for eight months for $300 a month. Things will be timed so each group of startups can operate through the holiday shopping season — then hopefully have the means to seek permanent digs.

Sterling Main Street, in addition to the Small Business Development Center and the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce are partners who will provide training and mentoring to the new business owners.

The location is supposed to bring more foot traffic to the northeast end of the downtown business district.

The incubator’s construction is paired with revitalization of Central Park — which is getting a splash pad, sidewalks and benches.

Groharing said she believed there were more than 400 applicants for this round of Hometown Grants. In the end, 25 were selected.

T-Mobile launched the $25 million initiative in April 2021 to fund projects in communities with populations fewer than 50,000 while also bringing 5G cell service to rural America.

Recipients are chosen by T-Mobile partners Main Street America and Smart Growth America.

“The T-Mobile Hometown grant program has made a massive impact in small towns and rural communities across the county,” said Hannah White, interim CEO of Main Street America. “Grantees have renovated historic spaces, built new playgrounds and parks, and spurred innovative placemaking projects that are bringing community members together in new and meaningful ways. We are thrilled to partner with T-Mobile and Smart Growth American to continue this important work in places that are too often overlooked.”

Groharing said she’s been aware of the Hometown Grants since their inception, but Sterling Main Street needed to have a project proposal worthy of consideration before it would apply.

Last year, for instance, the Historic Dixon Theatre had been the recipient of such a Hometown Grant.

[ Dixon Theatre gets Hometown Grant in 2021. ]

Sterling was the only Illinois city to receive a grant. In the Midwest, Storm Lake, Iowa received one for its Harmony Garden, a downtown hub for multicultural gatherings; Kendallville, Indiana got one to launch a business incubator; and New Richmond, Wisconsin got one for a VFW Post’s Freedom Park Center to serve veterans, seniors and youth with health and wellness service.

“Hometown Grants are truly making a difference in small towns,” said Jon Freier, president, Consumer Group at T-Mobile. “Beyond the $6.8 million we’ve provided in funding to our 150 grant recipients so far, we’ve also seen $2 million in matching funds from other local resources, which is huge. It’s been humbling to see T-Mobile creating a positive lasting impact in communities both through our grant funding and giving back to small businesses all over the country.”