MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Waco's Beautification Corridor Incentive Program is providing matching grants of up to $15,000 to help local businesses improve their exteriors. Recipients, such as Paleteria and Neveria La Azteca and The Hatstand Waco, are using the funds for new signage, doors, and parking improvements to increase visibility and attract more customers.
- The program offers matching grants up to $15,000 for exterior improvements to local businesses.
- Recipients are using funds for new signage, doors, windows, and parking lot improvements.
- The program will open for new applications in January 2026.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Local businesses in Waco are getting facelifts thanks to a city program that helps fund exterior improvements to buildings.
The Waco Beautification Corridor Incentive Program has awarded matching grants of up to $15,000 to several local businesses, allowing them to enhance their facades, landscaping, parking, signage, and artistic elements.
"Everything from new glass, new doors, to an LED sign up front, it's going to be a big change for us," Eduardo Garcia, Owner of Paleteria and Neveria La Azteca, said.
For 20 years, Paleteria and Neveria La Azteca has operated along Franklin Drive. Now the business will soon have a new look that better represents its brand.
"Now it's just going to match the inside. It's going to match the culture, the experience, and obviously with an LED sign, you're not going to have to be in our parking lot to see our sign, you're going to be able to see it from Franklin," Garcia said.
The program offers local businesses a matching grant of up to $15,000 to help make improvements to their buildings' exteriors. Waco city leaders selected several businesses to receive the awards.
Local clothing and embroidery shop The Hatstand Waco appreciates the assistance from the city.
"If you know everything's expensive, so that's going to help us ease the cost, and they reimburse 50% of the money, so whatever it costs, they give us half of that back," Kattie Jones, co-owner of The Hatstand Waco, said.
Jones and her husband Charles will be able to complete a new look for their storefront.
"By the time you're passing down Waco Drive, and there goes the store right there, and now you'll be able to see the sign," Jones said.
With the grant money, they'll re-stripe their parking lot and add a new, larger sign, improvements they believe can help increase foot traffic and create a look that will attract more customers.
When asked if this type of investment will help their business in the long run, Jones responded, "Oh definitely, we've been here for about 4 years and grows everyday, so I know that it will help attract different customers make it more visible and look nicer all around in the neighborhood."
The Corridor Beautification Incentive Program is an annual program, with applications opening in January 2026.
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Program details can be found on the city's website.
Previous coverage of this story can be found here.
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