FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Many small businesses are still struggling a year after the pandemic began. After some fell victim and closed, local governments are trying to keep as many as they can afloat. To help, Franklin County approved grants for a dozen businesses this week, including the Little Market located on Bald Knob Road (Rt. 421).
“There are no businesses within seven miles of this location in any direction, north, south, east, or west,” said co-owner Dan Midkiff.
The grocery store has been in the area for almost 100 years, though under different names and owners. Katie Clark and Midkiff have been running the store for four years and the last one was challenging.
“This winter has been difficult on us as well as the COVID extremes,” said Midkiff.
“Our income has gone down, so it was a little more difficult to ourselves be paid,” said Clark.
However, help has come in the form of a $5,000 grant approved by the Franklin County Fiscal Court. The Little Market was one of a dozen businesses to get a check this week.
“We first allotted $100,000 from COVID monies as part of this and with those twelve checks, we've got a little more money to go. If we do exceed the $100,000, we'll just add more money into the pot to help our small businesses because we know they've been hit the hardest,” said Franklin County Judge/Executive Huston Wells.
Clark and Midkiff say the money will help offset some income loss from the last year and allow them to hire extra help for busy times during the day.
“Katie and I really, really have tightened the belt to the last notch and this lets it out a notch. We can have a little breathing room and we have so much hope for the pandemic as well as the Spring,” said Midkiff.
Small businesses outside of the Frankfort city limits can still apply for the grant through an application found online. The deadline is March 3.
