Corte Madera clothier Tom Malvino is getting ready to reopen his 62-year-old storefront with diminished hours and curbside pickup.
Dealing with the closure has been robust, he stated.
“We’re down there, we’re doing it with restricted hours,” stated Malvino, proprietor of Louis Thomas Tremendous Males’s Attire. “However it’s not like individuals are driving up of their vehicles and saying, ‘Hey, that sport coat within the window? You may have a 42 quick in it?’”
Malvino, who utilized for a federal Paycheck Safety Program mortgage to pay worker salaries however has but to listen to again, was thrilled to obtain a $1,000 grant from Corte Madera’s Catastrophe Aid Fund.
Working with the city, the county and the neighborhood, the Corte Madera Chamber of Commerce is offering Malvino and 113 different enterprise house owners with momentary aid, stated Julie Kritzberger, chamber govt director. She stated solely seven house owners who utilized didn’t qualify.
The relief fund has raised greater than $100,000, Kritzberger stated.
The city put in $30,000, which was matched by the chamber and Marin County, stated Mayor Eli Beckman. He stated he has been responding to criticism about why the city used tax {dollars} to assist personal companies.
“Individuals overlook that Corte Madera is exclusive as a result of the city’s funds is serviced largely by gross sales tax,” Beckman stated. “Our gross sales taxes are largely paid by individuals who come from out of city to buy.”
“It’s not inaccurate to say companies offered by Corte Madera are paid for by individuals who store at our companies,” he stated. “Reinvesting some a reimbursement into these companies is the least we might do to assist.”
The Larkspur Chamber of Commerce can also be dispersing funds by way of its personal catastrophe aid funding program, although it’s nonetheless figuring out how a lot it may well present to every enterprise, stated Julie Cervetto, govt director.
She stated the fund plans to supply $1,000 to companies in Larkspur, Greenbrae and Kentfield. Up to now, 40 companies have utilized, however the fund has solely raised somewhat over $20,000 by way of public donations.
“The place we at the moment are, we will solely give half of them $1,000 or minimize the examine in half and provides $500, which to me will not be sufficient,” she stated. “You’ll be able to solely pay one invoice with that.”
However as a result of she is the one individual nonetheless employed with the chamber, she’s working extra time to succeed in out to donors. She is asking individuals to donate to the chamber’s GoFundMe marketing campaign to succeed in the $75,000 purpose.
Swiss Storage proprietor Lars Ihle stated he’s grateful that the chamber is working to assist companies in want. He stated he’s misplaced about 50% of his enterprise for the reason that county’s stay-home order in March, and he has needed to furlough workers and lay off an administrative employee.
“As of late we’re scraping to make ends meet,” Ihle stated. “Each penny helps cowl working price. It’s onerous when guys are standing round with nothing to do, however the payments nonetheless hold coming in.”
He stated insurance coverage and the prices of cleansing uniforms for his staff whole about $1,000 a month. He hopes that he can obtain funds quickly.
“We would not have tremendous massive pocket to pay for these items,” he stated. “Something I can get is useful for certain.”
— to www.marinij.com
