BARBERTON, Ohio — A full and thriving main street can benefit any town, bringing in revenue and improving property values.

What You Need To Know

  • Downtown Barberton looking for new businesses through two grant programs worth $300,000

  • Applications for both grant programs are due by April 1

  • The grant programs are funded by Barberton Community Foundation

One northeast Ohio city is working to bring their downtown back by finding new tenants to fill empty buildings and helping to revitalize existing businesses.

Kavé Coffee Bar received more than $2,000 to replace their windows. The general manager says the grant made a huge difference. Not only did he notice it, but so did his customers.

“Replacing the windows for our business made everything safer," said Ryan Struckel, the general manager of Kavé Coffee Bar.

The coffee shop has been around for a decade, and while he knew it was time for some renovations, he also knew they wouldn't be cheap.  

Struckel decided to apply for a grant from the Barberton Community Foundation. The grant matched $2,500 to replace six windows.

“Was something that was really instrumental in our project to replace these windows," said Struckel.

Thriving downtowns can attract visitors and improve local economy. Josh Gordon is the executive director of the Barberton Community Foundation. The organization put up $300,000 for seven grants available through two programs. The Downtown Building Rehabilitation and Restaurant and Retail Challenge.

“Barberton downtown or community downtown has a responsibility not just to our own residents to have a great downtown, but we also have a responsibility to surrounding communities like Norton and New Franklin and Green that don't have a downtown," said Gordon.

Gordon said the grant program will encourage new businesses to move downtown. But there are some requirements that must be met before the funds are handed out. Downtown Building Rehabilitation has two grants available; the established businesses must match the grant up to $100,000, business owners must restore or make big renovations to their downtown building. The project must be completed by Dec. 31, 2025.

The Restaurant and Retail Challenge has five grants available. The established businesses must match the grant up to $20,000. The business must be open by Dec. 1, 2025

“We're modernizing it, we're bringing in new, interesting types of businesses for people to come and experience," said Gordon.

Both Gordon and Struckel agree the 25,000 current residents and countless visitors will have a better downtown experience thanks to these grants

“Our downtown has a rich history, and we've been around since 1891,"sSaid Gordon.” But in some ways, we're just getting started with how we're revitalizing our downtown and inviting people to it.”

“To apply for this grant and receive this grant it can make a huge impact for your business and for the overall look of downtown, for both the residents and the visitors here," said Struckel.

These are two different grants. A business can get money from both, matching up to $120,000.

Applications for both grant programs are due by April 1. Click here for more details. 

The other partners for these grants are Main Street Barberton, City of Barberton and Barberton Community Development Corporation.