Your Battle Creek Downtown Partnership???

(from dictionary.com:

1. the state or condition of being a partner; participation; association; joint interest. )

Antiquities & Eccentricities applied for the Incentive Grant offered by the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership. We have been turned down! The rejection letter summarized that some of the numbers could not be independently verified. In addition, the last paragraph stated that the Downtown Partnership would like to help....at least in summary.

The owner put that letter, along with a handwritten note pointing to the last paragraph that stated that Kathleen Eriksen had never set foot in the store in the 6 weeks that it had been open. Quite the welcome from the Downtown Partnership huh?

Kathleen did finally stop in a few days later, not to welcome, but to demand the sign be removed. The owner then revised the sign to say that Kathleen had finally stopped in, but only to demand the removal of the sign! The owner did remove the sign in the next few days as a showing of goodwill and willingness to work as a "Partnership".

The denial was the first communication we had from her regarding the grant application. When we spoke on the phone to request a meeting, she indicated that some of the numbers, specifically, the lease amounts did not correspond with the signed lease document. I quickly explained that I added the amounts through the end of the 08 calendar year! In addition, the lease is only needed, according to the grant application to verify that it is for at least a 3 year period.

We have felt like we have been slapped in the face by the very people that were to be promoting downtown, recruiting our type of businesses. We thought we were the type of business that could help the downtown. Apparently we were wrong and are truly not wanted or welcomed by anyone from the partnership.

WE HAVE RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS WELCOME FROM THE CUSTOMERS, OTHER BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO OUR STORE. MOST STATING THIS IS WONDERFUL AND EXACTLY WHAT DOWNTOWN NEEDS!

We had a meeting with the grant review committee on August 28 to read a prepared statement and possibly review and get help with the grant to see what went wrong. All we were told is that there was "lots" that could not be independently verified. We asked for a few specifics so we could get more information, and were absolutely not given any. We were just told that this one "would not fly".

We were given the opportunity, if we wish, to redo and resubmit the grant application. Not receiving the grant is only a small PART of our disappointment. We were hoping for at least a welcome from the Downtown Partnership. We are still not sure exactly what the Downtown Partnership has to offer for us, and any other merchant downtown. The thought of a partnership of downtown was a main reason we chose to move our existing business. Thinking that someone would be with us and wanting us to succeed as much as we want to succeed.

At this point we are evaluating our options, viability of downtown, and our current location.

At this time, we are still unsure as to our intentions. Do we attempt to resubmit a grant application? Do we look for other types of support available to us, (not necessarily financial), are we wanted and needed, can downtown support our efforts? Do we simply give up, shut down and call it a lesson learned?

Stay tuned