Laurel Stone and Nadine Grimley
2 days ago
SALEM, Ohio (WKBN) — A Salem craft soda shop and gaming lounge is one of 34 businesses in Ohio that received a $10,000 small business grant.
Kast Iron Soda Works, located at 420 E. State St., is the sole local recipient of the grant, which was awarded in partnership with American Express and Main Street America.
“Ten thousand means a lot to us,” says Leslie Klein, “We're just a small, one-store business. We're trying to do something nice for the community and provide a really good, multi-generational place for people to just sit, hang out and have a good time.”
The store, now in its third year, is known for its wall of sodas, which boasts hundreds of flavors.
The company purchased the building on E. State Street in November of last year.
Kast Iron said the funds will be used to renovate the building's rear entrance to make it more accessible and safer for employees and customers. The renovations will include a new door and an access ramp. The company said it also plans to create an outdoor patio.
“This is not a cheap renovation, so when the grant came up, it was a great opportunity for us to get the funds and use them to help with the renovation,” Klein said.
The Small Business Assistance Program was created in 2021 to help cash-strapped and economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and expand their operations. This year, 500 businesses nationwide received grants, up from 330-350 the previous fiscal year.
Kast Iron plans to apply for a second round of reinforcement grants in September. Of the first 500 grant recipients, only 25 will receive $30,000.
For a complete list of grant recipients, click here.