By Andrea Cordle
Southwest Editor
For communities to get through the COVID-19 pandemic, people are going to have to stick together and that is what business owners are doing in the Grove City Town Center.
Project Altogether consists of small business owners, Visit Grove City, the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce and the Heart of Grove City. It started out as a brewing project to promote the visitor’s bureau but has now become an effort to assist small business owners through the coronavirus outbreak.
According to Trevor Luther, head brewer at the Grove City Brewing Company, this project originally started as Altogether Adventure Ale. It was a collaboration to sell a special brew to promote the city and its small businesses.
“With all that has come with these unknown, difficult times, Grove City Brewing Company felt the beer that was brewed in the spirit of a community coming all together, that it should be used to help preserve that community,” said Luther. “Hence the idea to create a fundraiser to help preserve our beautiful downtown area by giving financial support to our neighbors in the small business community.”
The Altogether Adventure Ale was released for sale on March 28 and is available at Grove City Brewing Company, 3946 Broadway and Hop Yard 62, 4057 Broadway. The special beer will be sold until the bottles run out and part of the proceeds will help fellow business owners.
According to Andy Furr, the executive director of the Heart of Grove City (an organization that promotes the Grove City Town Center), businesses across the board have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everything is closed except for the restaurants that offer carryout and delivery,” said Furr. “Some businesses will be able to weather the storm. Others will be devastated. We expect to see permanent closures.”
Furr said one of the main goals of the Heart of Grove City is to support and promote local businesses so he was excited to be part of Project Altogether.
“It was a perfect fit,” said Furr. “It gives us the ability to continue to focus on the folks in our service area.”
The project will help to raise funds and the Heart of Grove City will accept applications from Town Center businesses that need financial assistance. Furr said the funds could be used to help small business owners pay for rent, utilities, payroll and even stock for the store once businesses are able to open again.
“It covers a wide spectrum,” said Furr.
According to Furr, businesses eligible for the funding assistance are in the Heart of Grove City service area. However, he said, if they can raise enough funds, they could expand the service area to benefit other small businesses in the Grove City area.
Once an application is received, a committee will review the information. Furr said the organization is working to develop an application page.
For more information on Project Altogether or on assistance for small business owners, visit www.heartofgrovecity.org/small-business-assistance-donation.
