Maryville Florists awarded business improvement grants

By Morgan Guyer

Maryville Florists, 214 North Main, was the recipient of two grants that will be used for updating and remodeling the outside of the business.

On June 25, it was revealed that Keitha Clapp, Maryville Florists owner, was one of 500 small business owners awarded $10,000 through the Backing Small Business Owners by American Express grant program. The program was originally started in 2021 to help economically vulnerable small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Clapp, this money will be used for the front of the building, specifically the awning and repairing under the display windows.

“DeAnn Davison with Downtown Maryville emailed out the info for the grant in March and I already had quotes ready to go on my building, so I decided to give it a try and apply, not really thinking I would get it,” Clapp said. “We are so excited for the facelift to the building. I got the call in mid June and was shocked that I received it.”

Clapp will also be using $5,000 from a matching funds grant through the Maryville Downtown for work on the building’s south wall. The wall will be restuccoed, painted and a mural is planned to be added in the future.