Project details:
- Funding: Community Development Block Grant (HUD/CDBG)
- Location: Bayard, NE (305 Main Street)
When a community loses its grocery store, people feel it immediately. In a small town like Bayard, the nearest alternative can mean a long drive, and for residents without reliable transportation, it can mean going without.
Al’s Market stepped in to fill that gap. The business set up shop at 305 Main Street in downtown Bayard. But getting a grocery store off the ground takes working capital and equipment, and the startup costs aren’t small.
PADD helped the City of Bayard secure a Community Development Block Grant to provide a performance-based loan to Al’s Market, covering startup costs for working capital and equipment. The funding helped get the store open and stocked.
A grocery store might not sound like economic development, but in a small community, it’s one of the most essential businesses there is. It keeps people from driving elsewhere to spend their money, it creates local jobs, and it gives residents one less reason to leave.