Downtown Hermosa Beach Small Business Relief Fund

Right now, the future of our local culture and character in Downtown Hermosa Beach is at stake as the global pandemic threatens to close a number of our independent businesses, from restaurants and cafes to retail boutiques and specialty shops as well as our favorite service businesses — all forced to operate at greatly reduced capacity. These businesses have been doing all they can to protect and ensure the well-being of our community and to slow the spread of COVID-19. These are the same businesses that have long shaped the culture of our City, and continuously support our local schools and non-profits.


In response to today’s challenging business environment, the City of Hermosa Beach has instituted a number of supportive measures, including expanding outdoor dining opportunities along the sidewalk and in parking spaces. Our local restaurants and shops desperately want to take advantage of these opportunities to keep their businesses afloat and to provide a safer, more engaging and livelier environment for residents and visitors, however, the costs to implement these opportunities are often prohibitive for our small business owners. 


The Downtown Hermosa Beach Small Business Relief Fund exists to provide independent small businesses with much-needed money to take advantage of these opportunities and to improve the overall environment for residents in our downtown business corridor. The Fund is an initiative started by myself and my brother Colin. We are both residents of Hermosa Beach, parents of school-aged children in our local schools and co-owners of three Hermosa Beach-based businesses (Wicked+ Creative Agency, Wicked+ General Store and Beach & Beverly). We are also active members of the Downtown Hermosa Business Association, a not-for-profit alliance of more than 100 businesses on Pier Avenue, Hermosa Avenue, Pier Plaza and The Strand.


The intention is not self-serving and we will not be distributing any of the funds directly to our personal businesses. Our goal is to rally the community together in an effort to raise money to supply financial assistance and resources to businesses across Downtown Hermosa Beach that are quickly adapting to the ever-evolving guidelines, restrictions and opportunities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.


The campaign goal of $100,000 is lofty, likely unachievable, but please know we'll be grateful if we're able to raise even a small fraction of this amount.  Over the next few months, we'll be updating this page with details on specific initiatives that we're focused on and will be transparent with respect to money raised and where it's spent by sharing a link to a public Google Spreadsheet. We’ll be actively engaged with over 100 business owners, City staff and our City Council too. If you want your donation to go towards a specific initiative please leave a comment or DM me.


Initiative One: Hermosa Avenue Dining Deck #1

Dave Davis, a Hermosa Beach resident and co-owner of Hermosa Brewing Company has worked closely with his neighboring business owners, including Pedone's and Decadence, and has submitted plans to the City for a streetside dining deck that would span the length of five parking spaces from 14th Street to in front of Decadence along Hermosa Avenue. 

Plans have been submitted and under City review. Approximate cost is $12,000 to $17,000.

UPDATE: Plans approved and construction starts Monday, July 13th.  As of July 11, 2020 The Fund has committed $8,000 towards the total actual cost, which was approximately $18k ]



 

Initiative Two: Downtown Hermosa Beach Advertising Campaign

Social media has been powerful and helpful amid the pandemic to get the word out but the algorithms of the major platforms make it challenging for businesses to reach the masses without paid-for advertising campaigns.  

The approximate budget is $20,000 and funds would be disbursed directly to local businesses as used directly for DHBA's Facebook and Instagram.

UPDATE: We're committing a $1k to Downtown Hermosa Business Association to use towards boosting Instagram posts and also $1k to HermosaOne.com and its social media advertising. 

Initiative Three: City Application & Permit Reimbursement Fund

We'd like to raise $20,000 towards reimbursing businesses for their application and permit fees. While the city has made our cost lower than neighboring cities like Manhattan Beach, it's still an expense that many businesses cannot afford and the more businesses that can take advantage of outdoor dining, new signage, etc the better.

Initiative Four: Upper Pier Avenue Dining Deck #1

In progress prior to the start of our GFM, Allen Sanford and his BeachLife Festival team, who's responsible for the well-built and stylish dining decks in Riviera Village, was the first to get approval to build a dining deck in Hermosa Beach -- which is located in front of Creme de la Crepe and Rockefeller.

UPDATE: This deck is 100% built and now serving guests and The Fund has contributed $2,000 towards the completion of it.


More To Be Announced

This is a community effort and we’re looking for ideas from community businesses to share with us their needs. If you know a small business owner in Hermosa and want to be sure they are aware of this Fund, please have them contact us. If you make a donation and want your $ to go directly to a specific initiative or business, please let us know.

Stay tuned here as we'll be announcing further initiatives, posting frequent updates, and highlighting stories so that you can see the direct impact of your donation. 


Thank you for your consideration in making a donation to help our small Hermosa Beach businesses and please share this fundraiser with your network. To not improve the landscape for our downtown community at this time would be detrimental and potentially devastating. With the community's assistance, we know we can make a difference that not only benefits the individual business owners but us as residents and the town we live in.


*NOTE: For those seeing what's happening in our neighboring cities Redondo and Manhattan Beach with their robust dining decks and beyond, please know the difference is not in what their city is allowing them to do but more so the organizational structure and funds they have readily available for their business community. Both cities have Business Improvement Districts that have been instrumental in their recovery efforts and in Manhattan Beach the local community raised nearly $500,000 and dispersed grants to local businesses.  


 

Brian Cooley
[email redacted]


Colin Cooley
[email redacted]