Shawano Lawn & Stone recently received a façade grant totaling $2,500 through Shawano Country Vision 2017.
The matching grant was awarded to help cover costs to install a new lighted sign on the firm’s building at 950 S. Waukechon St. in Shawano. The project included removing existing signage from the parking lot.
According to business co-owner Pat Bohm, the project will help attract more customers to their business.
“Our new LED sign is much more visible to customers not only during the day but also at night,” Bohm said. “In addition, removing the old sign allowed us to create three additional parking spots for our customers.”
Shawano Lawn & Stone was founded in 1979 by Steve and Mary Dobberstein, who built and moved to the current location in 1993. In 2012, Bohm joined the business as a co-owner with plans to eventually take full ownership as Dobberstein retires.
Shawano Lawn & Stone employs 17 people during its busy season. The owners hope the new sign will create enough additional business to extend their season.
“Changing a sign may seem like a small thing, but actually attractive, highly visible and strategically placed signage is one of the most important components of a business’s marketing strategy,” said Nancy Smith, executive director of the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce. “This new sign will be visible 24 hours every day. It will get noticed and reinforce the business’s brand.”
Bohm said he would not have invested in a new sign without the grant funds. He believes Shawano Country Vision 2017 is important in helping other local businesses.
“In the end, Vision 2017 becomes a win-win because the bet that is being made is that a business, such as ours, will generate additional sales and cash flow for the community after our façade improvement,” Bohm said. “This additional revenue ultimately trickles down to the local community in sales tax dollars and a robust image for out of town visitors, which creates a healthy community on the whole.”
Shawano Lawn & Stone utilized a local sign company and electrical contractor to complete this project. It was important to Bohm to support local businesses, he said.
Dennis Heling, Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. chief economic development officer, said local business have completed most of the renovation projects for firms receiving Vision 2017 grants.
“Our grants are supporting not just the grant recipient but also the businesses they hire to perform the work,” he said. “As these dollars circulate in our communities our businesses grow and growing from within is fundamental to future job creation.”
Small businesses in Tigerton, Eland, Gresham and Shawano have received a total of $103,000 in Vision 2017 façade and interior grants, according to organizers, which has stimulated over $825,000 in private investments.
Shawano Country Vision 2017 is a five-year economic development plan designed to address various needs of area businesses and communities. One of the key goals is to bring at least 1,000 new jobs to the area by 2017.
The plan’s overall goal is to spur capital investment and grow the economy by implementing specific action steps in key areas, including business expansion, attraction and recruitment; tourism/retail development and community development.
The plan was initiated three years ago by the board of directors of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. and the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce to proactively tackle economic challenges including several plant closures, job losses and lower than average per capita income. It is intended to provide a blueprint for future growth and prosperity and a stronger economic climate for Shawano and Menominee counties.
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