A strong believer in Downtown Fresno, Yesenia Roque, owner of Boss Girl Nail Academy and Boutique, was recently granted $16,000 to renovate the exterior of her business through a façade improvement program from the city. Photo by Frank Lopez

The success of a business might depend on work ethic, demand, culture and any number of factors, but having an attractive store front doesn’t hurt either.

Recently, local businesses have been taking advantage of the City of Fresno’s Facade Improvement Program Grant, which is being administered by the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation (FAHF).

In February, $1.5 million was allocated to the city from the American Rescue Plan, with the Fresno City Council selecting FAHF to distribute the funds.

The grant reimburses existing properties with a single storefront up to $25,000 and up to $50,000 for existing properties with multiple storefronts. The costs are repaid after FAHF and the city deem a facade project compete after an invoice and proof of payment is submitted.

Applications for the grant are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. The most recent application period closed in June.

Clarissa Vivian-Petrucci, program director of the Women’s Business Center at FAHF, is currently going through the applications submitted before the deadline.

“The facade of a business is very important,” Vivian-Petrucci said. “What we see sometimes attracts us, sometimes makes us open the door to see what’s inside a business.

There were 152 applications submitted this year, with five facade renovation projects fully completed and others currently under construction.

Businesses with completed renovation projects include Boss Girl, Yoshi World, Speed Max, Café Leon and Los Panchos Restaurant and Cantina.

Half of the $1.5 million has already been awarded. The remainder is expected to be awarded by the end of the year.

One of the criteria for businesses to qualify is based on a location within a “COVID-19 Disproportionately Impacted Area,” including much of Central Fresno.

Priority is given to businesses operating in Chinatown, Downtown Fresno and in the corridor areas along Blackstone and Kings Canyon avenues, the Tower District and Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

Vivian-Petrucci said there are many great local businesses that need facade improvements such as paint, new awnings, fencing and other work to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. ADA work can come at high costs that are difficult for small business owners to absorb.

Storefronts in downtown and Chinatown have been neglected for years, but the city and FAHF want business owners to be proud of where they are and to succeed, Vivian-Petrucci said.

“They are very thankful and happy with this program and how the city has supported them and brought this resource to small businesses,” she said.

 

Boss Girl Nails Academy & Boutique on Tulare Street in Downtown Fresno completed its facade renovation in July.

Yesenia Roque opened Boss Girl 4 ½ years ago, doing nails at home and eventually working at a salon for three years prior to opening her salon.

Along with nails and makeup services, Roque also offers classes to teach pedicure and makeup techniques.

As a supporter of Downtown Fresno, Roque made it a point to open her business in the area.

“I feel there’s opportunity. I believe in Downtown Fresno, and I’m familiar with the area and I have clients all over the area, so I wanted to be central to everyone,” she said.

Boss Girl qualified for $16,000 in funding, which was used for painting the exterior, lighting and fencing.

Roque said she is grateful, especially since beauty salons and spas were forced to temporarily shut down at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This grant is going to help make people come visit downtown more, and there is a lot of potential here,” Roque said. “It’s going to help us grow as a small business.”

Los Panchos Restaurant and Cantina, which is attached to Boss Girl, received a multiple-storefront grant of $60,000 along with the nail salon.

Construction on the exterior of Los Panchos began last month and was remodeled to look like an old Mexican cantina adobe, adorned with decorative tiles and a distressed wood look.

“The front door is very important,” said co-owner Ana Lilia De Alba. “People drive by and see the outside and say ‘hey, let’s see what’s going on in there.’ It’s very important not only for Los Panchos or business owners, but for the city — for downtown. It’s a win for everybody.”

The interior is also undergoing renovation work that will soon be completed.

De Alba said she wanted to stray away from the Mexico stereotype look of sombreros and cowboy boots, opting for a more traditional but modern environment.

“We look at what we can to make the outside look nice and to encourage other business owners to open businesses downtown,” De Alba said. “I want to encourage investors and small businesses to try something new out here.”