Bessemer looks to promote growth with pop-up shop program

By IAN MINIELLY

[email protected]

Bessemer — The previously discussed partnership between the Downtown Development Authority and city of Bessemer to promote business growth in Bessemer is coming to fruition. According to Charly Loper, city manager, the DDA is announcing the start of their pop-up shop program.

The pop-up shop program offers six months free rent to new businesses looking to open in the downtown area of Bessemer. The DDA intention is to kick-start businesses people may have been dreaming about but never had the start-up capital to implement. The design of the program is to provide businesses a trial period to see if their idea is viable without crippling an entrepreneur for trying.

Dave Osier, DDA member said, “By providing some of the start-up costs, the authroity is making it easier for people to test their business idea. If the business works, the authority helped start a long-term business in Bessemer. If the business does not work out, at least we had more activity in our downtown for the time their business was open.”

According to Loper, “This is too important to the authority. By getting new businesses and activity into downtown Bessemer, the authority hopes to bring more people to the downtown so they not only stop at their intended destination, but at other shops as well.”

Loper is available for interested parties that would like to set up a time to meet with the city manager about the program and their business idea at 906-663-4311 and [email protected].