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The Snow White Grill in Old Town, Winchester's oldest eatery, will soon reopen under new ownership. For more info, see the Winchester Star article below. Art by Kerry Stavely of Tin Top Art & Handmade. |
Winchester Economic Development Newsletter
The City of Winchester, Economic Development Authority, focuses on attracting, expanding, and retaining economic development activity to maximize our industrial and commercial land use. Our strategy includes preserving the city's social, environmental, architectural, and cultural fabric.
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Winchester Animal Hospital, located at 901 N. Loudoun Street, is a full-service animal hospital equipped with advanced equipment and technologies to provide the highest standard of care for your pet, including medical, surgical, and dental services in their newly remodeled facility. Their expert team of veterinarians and knowledgeable staff are committed to providing quality care. From routine preventive care to early detection and treatment of a wide range of conditions and diseases and surgical care, they have the expertise to provide the care your pet needs at every stage of life. | Want to see your business here? Reach out to econ.dev@winchesterva.gov! |
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A dream becomes reality as Douglas School renovations officially unveiled | On June 8, city officials, Winchester Public Schools personnel and Douglas alumni finally cut the ribbon, unveiling the Douglas School in its new capacity as an administrative office building, a museum and a community gathering space. | Project Connect puts the pieces together for those who need assistance | Project Connect is more than just a clearinghouse for information regarding local services. It also addresses basic, immediate needs by giving away food, clothing and cleaning supplies. | Community events celebrate Juneteenth | An event that, just a few decades ago, was rarely mentioned outside of Black communities is now being observed in the Northern Shenandoah Valley with a week’s worth of public celebrations. | SU student puts heart and sole into custom shoe designs | When Myklin Davis started selling custom shoe designs as a high school student in 2020, she never imagined her creative outlet would lead to so many meaningful connections. But four years later, Davis’s customized shoe art has over 24,000 followers on TikTok, she’s created over 20 pairs of unique shoes and she’s even connected with local and national celebrities. | Knead Bread featured in 2023 Virginia SBDC Client Profile | |
Click here to view the Virginia SBDC Client Profile featuring Winchester's own Knead Bread!
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Virginia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points in April to 2.8 percent. Winchester and Staunton maintained the lowest unemployment rate among the metro areas at 2.1 percent.
Click HERE to read the VEC's May newsletter.
| Click the table above to view City of Winchester local tax revenues through April. | |
Say cheese! Fleur de Lis Cheese Shop opens in downtown Winchester | |
Which do you pick first, the wine or the cheese? Terri Hardin, owner of a new artisan cheese shop in downtown Winchester, says choose the wine first. She can help with the rest.
| 'These fields are incredible': City's new Preston Sports Complex opens | Jim Barnett Park is now home to one of the nicest, most high-quality outdoor sports facilities you'll find in any of this country's public parks. The Preston Sports Complex, located near the park's northern entrance off of West Cork Street, officially opened Wednesday evening with a ribbon cutting and ceremonial soccer kick. |
Snow White Grill, Winchester’s oldest eatery, reopening under new ownership
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When the Turner family strolled down the Loudoun Street Mall on Friday night, strangers recognized their faces. Ever since Turner took to Facebook last week to announce that he, his wife Missy and daughter Kayla had purchased Winchester’s oldest restaurant, the response has been overwhelming, encouraging and eye-opening.
| Region continues to be a hotspot for retirees | Winchester and its surroundings have been featured on numerous lists and by various organizations as a top spot to retire, and it appears that some may be taking that advice. Nearly two-thirds of the combined growth in Winchester, Frederick County and Clarke County from 2020 to 2022 consisted of those age 60 and above. | For the most up-to-date info on fun things to see and do, great places to eat, community events, outdoor recreation, and more, check out the Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitor's Bureau's Official Visitor Guide. And be sure to subscribe to their monthly newsletter to get all the latest updates! |
Upcoming ribbon cuttings/anniversaries:
- Blue Ridge Agents Insurance: June 26 - REGISTER
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OneStop Kitchen and Bath: June 28 - REGISTER
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D.A.H. Cuisine and T Bone's Bar & Grill: July 12 - REGISTER
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GRANTS, LOANS & OTHER RESOURCES | |
Do you need funding to grow your small business? A 7(a) loan, SBA's primary business loan option, can help. A 7(a) loan can be used for working capital, purchasing real estate, buying equipment, and much more. Learn how to apply and find an SBA approved lender. | Apply today for a $25,000 grant for women! Submitting one application makes you instantly eligible for all grants related to your business. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and winners are announced by the 23rd of the following month. | The HerRise Micro-Grant provides financial assistance to women of color creating innovative solutions that impact their community and that are often unable to secure funding for their small business | 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition | |
Are you ready to take your product or service to the next level?
This summer, be a part of SCORE's 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition and pitch your business to a panel of industry experts to compete for a chance to secure up to $20,000 for your business. Imagine how this additional funding could impact your business growth.
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As a mission-based lender, SCCF can assist entrepreneurs who are unable to attain capital through commercial lending. Small business microloans range from $1,000 to $50,000, and can fund various expenses, including equipment, inventory, and working capital for small businesses that do not qualify for commercial business loans. | Click here for more info about Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) grants and other programs. | |
How Can A 504 Loan
Help You In 2024?
| Whether you're a small business owner, a lender, or an existing borrower with Business Finance Group, a 504 loan may be just the thing you need to reach your growth goals in 2024! | Mini-Grant Application Opens for Urban Agriculture in Virginia | The "Advancing Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems in Virginia" team is excited to announce the availability of mini-grant funds and is now accepting proposals for projects aimed at enhancing urban agriculture across the state. Grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000, with a project period of up to 12 months. | |
62 Grants, Loans and Programs to Benefit Your Small Business | Fast Break for Small Business Grant | Accion Opportunity Fund, LegalZoom, the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G-League have joined forces to provide entrepreneurs across the country with grants and LegalZoom services to support their small businesses. 150 small businesses will receive $10,000 grants and a LegalZoom product of their choosing, valued up to $500 | Click HERE for a list of 39 small business grants for minority entrepreneurs. | Need $4,000 To Help Your Business Grow? Apply for a business development grant from the National Association for the Self-Employed. You could receive up to $4,000 for your small business through the NASE Growth Grants program. Grants can be used for marketing, advertising, hiring employees, expanding facilities, and other specific business needs. | |
WEBINARS, CLASSES, EVENTS & MORE | |
Registration for Worlds of Work (WoW) is live! | Worlds of Work has opened the eyes of middle school students in the Shenandoah Valley to career paths for more than five years. Nearly 80 exhibitors engage with students through hands-on career exploration. This year's WoW will occur on October 11! | On Thursday, August 22, 2024, the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber will host Hob Nob in the Valley presented by United Bank at the Winchester Regional Airport Hangar 509. This nonpartisan gathering will bring together elected officials, current public office candidates, government leaders, and the local business community for a unique occasion of networking and socializing. One of the purposes for this event is to build and maintain strong synergy between local government and the business community, leading to proactive engagement. | |
Seminar on opening/operating child care centers | Join the Laurel Ridge SBDC on July 23 9 AM - 12 PM for a free seminar on Child Care Center operation in the Winchester metropolitan Area. Hear from Tiarra Payne, owner of the Tee Spot, about how she grew her business from a family day home to a childcare center with 10+ employees. | |
This nine-month program runs the third Friday of each month from September through May. The program begins with an orientation the third Friday in August, followed by monthly sessions studying specific topics.
Applications for the Community Leadership Program Class of 2025 will be accepted from May 7, 2024 through July 19, 2024. Scroll to the bottom of our newsletter for information about a scholarship for this program!
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Capacitor rolling applications are open | The Capacitor Incubator Program is a hybrid incubation model for entrepreneurs with scalable business ideas, to help you create your first proof of concept, identify the appropriate target market, and build the systems and financing for the successful launch of your business. | Credit for your business webinar | Join representatives from Truist Bank on June 25 for this lunchtime webinar about how you can use business credit cards and lines of credit for your small business! | |
Celebrate our nation's independence a day early! Join Old Town Winchester July 3rd from 2–7 PM for great food, family activities, and live music at the Taylor Pavilion. Local favorites Raised on Analog will be rocking the Taylor Pavilion stage from 3:00-7:00 PM with their eclectic mix of rock, pop, and alternative covers. Finish the night off with a firework display at Jim Barnett Park just after 9 PM! | A brief unveiling ceremony for the 15th annual ArtScape open-air exhibit was held Thursday afternoon on the steps of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum in downtown Winchester. On hand were several of the artists whose works are displayed, as well as corporate sponsors of the banners and representatives from the Shenandoah Arts Council (ShenArts). | |  |
First Fridays are back! Every first Friday of the month [weather permitting], we host local artists, live music, sip & stroll, special events, and more in the heart of Old Town Winchester. Visit our website for more info! | Winchester Main Street nonprofit awarded Virginia Main Street SmArP Grant | The new Winchester Main Street nonprofit has been awarded a SmArP Grant of $50,000 to create a downtown master plan or small area plan that builds upon prior development and guides practical and enduring revitalization efforts that prioritize physical improvements and connectivity in the Old Town district. | | |
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We had the pleasure of visiting with John Moore at MPT Now Health and Fitness, a veteran-owned fitness and nutrition coaching facility run by John and his wife, Kristin. MPT Now Health and Fitness offers private training, group training and classes, and nutrition guidance Monday through Saturday, 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. And if you need to rent gym space, they can do that, too! They also offer scholarships to individuals seeking personal training through their nonprofit, Free Fit Foundation. The space on Valor Drive also houses their production company, MPT Now Productions, which specializes in voiceover work and audiobooks.
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Growing Business Development Program Waiver
Know a small business in the City of Winchester that has been wanting to join the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber or needs a scholarship for the Community Leadership Program? Any business located within the City of Winchester that employs fewer than 20 employees and has not been a member of the Chamber for at least three (3) years is eligible to apply for the membership fee waiver. The educational waiver has the same employment level requirement but is for current members of the Chamber only.
Priority will be given to new businesses and those located in the Enterprise Zone. Businesses can determine whether they are in the Enterprise Zone by searching their address on the City’s Enterprise Zone Mapping GIS Tool.
For any questions and a copy of the waiver, please email Vanessa Santiago.
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If you're a local business and would like to invite members of the EDA for a tour/visit, please let us know! Send us an email at: econ.dev@winchesterva.gov. | |
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Economic Development Authority Meetings
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