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player ready...Like many business owners across Illinois, Arnie Krause has spent the last few months watching the coronavirus pandemic diminish restaurant revenues and force him to adapt business practices.
Krause, a restauranteur and owner of The Claim Company of Northbrook, and other Northbrook business owners may soon receive a bit of financial relief through the village’s new grant program.
After refining some details in recent virtual meetings, the Northbrook Village Board approved the program Tuesday in an effort to aid local businesses battered by the pandemic as they prepare to resume operations in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan.
“Anything anyone can do to help us weather the storm is appreciated,” Krause said. “It’s the village’s way of helping out.”
The business grant program, part of the village’s larger Northbrook Strong campaign, will provide up to $2,000 to businesses to reimburse costs related to opening their operations safely. This includes the purchase of face masks, sanitizer, floor decals, plexiglass shields or outdoor dining equipment.
Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan allowed barbershops, salons and retailers to open May 29 with adapted safety guidelines, reduced capacity and social distancing practices.
Pritzker announced recently that the reopening of bars and restaurants with limited outdoor seating could likely align with Phase 3, too, creating a scramble among local leaders to prepare their communities for the shift.
“One thing that took us all a little bit by surprise was the speed by which we moved from assuming that some of these outdoor dining options might not be available for a month or so,” said Tom Poupard, Northbrook’s director of development and planning.
The allotted $250,000 worth of grants comes from funds set aside specifically for this purpose in Northbrook’s recently approved budget. Trustees approved the resolution for the program in a 7-0 vote.
“I’m very thankful that our village is in a position to be able to do something like this to help our folks, Trustee Robert Israel said.
Restaurants, small “non-essential” retailers and personal services like salons and barbershops may be eligible.
Restaurants must have at least one physical presence in the village with no more than four stores owned and must operate out of a commercial district, not a home, Poupard said. In addition to this same criteria, retailers and personal services must not be owned by a national corporation and must employ fewer than 25 full-time employees.
All applicants must have been in operation since at least February and must be in good standing with the village, officials said.
Businesses will need to submit a statement of economic hardship regarding pandemic-related revenue shortages, a W-9 form and, for data purposes, disclosure of other aid they have applied for.
Officials plan to assess how many have applied after an initial two-week application window.
The budget allows for a maximum of $2,000 to be granted to 125 applicants. If more than 125 businesses apply, officials said preference will most likely be given to businesses that generate sales tax and then to businesses that were 100% closed during the shutdown.
Krause is hoping the grant, if received, will help him break even on the costs of adding dividers to his booths as a precaution once inside dining is allowed again. For now, The Claim Company expects to open with outdoor dining as soon as possible.
“This has been a really crappy situation … but the community is supporting us, so that’s wonderful,” he said.
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