Newark city leaders, stakeholders and grantees celebrate honor festival lights and Retail Reactivation Initiative grants (Credit: City of Newark)

General Business

On Mar 1, 2024

The City of Newark and Invest Newark have pledged $2.3 million in funding for eight retail businesses as part of a new Retail Reactivation Initiative to increase the number of amenities in Newark’s Arts & Education District.

“Our new initiative reflects a commitment to bring new life into vacant retail spaces and enhance Newark’s physical appearance to enrich the lives of residents, visitors and workers,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka in a statement. “The entrepreneurs opening businesses in the heart of our Arts and Education District embody the resilience and spirit of our city. Their businesses – which range from new restaurants to spaces for artists and comedians – add even more energy to a District that has become a commercial and cultural hub.”

Supported by Urban Enterprise Zone funds made available thanks to the reform law spearheaded by the Late Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, the Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative offers financial support for fit-out and furniture, fixtures and equipment to Newark-based businesses. The inaugural group of awardees consists of Black-owned ventures, with over half owned by Newark residents:

• Newark Culture Club – Grant Amount: $120,540 – 12 Halsey St.
  • Owned by Newark resident Justin Williams, the Newark Culture Club is set to become a vibrant performance space and craft cocktail bar–Hosting stand-up comedy, local artist groups, DJ sets, trivia nights and film screenings. Williams is the host of Newark’s longest-running comedy show, Brick City Comedy Revue.
• Lashed Queens – Grant Amount: $38,500 – 12 Linden St.
  • Owned by Brittany Payton, Lashed Queens offers an upscale Beauty Bar experience, specializing in skin care and aesthetic services like eyelash extensions, waxing and nail care.
• Uncle Willie’s Wing – Grant Amount: $229,495 – 113 Halsey St.
  • Owned by Newark resident Walter Green, Uncle Willie’s Bar and Grill will provide venue space for events highlighting local painters, poets and sculptors, fostering a platform for Newark’s vibrant artistic community.
• Consigliere – Grant Amount: $87,500 – 155 Washington St. Retail B
  • Owned by Newark resident Karl Fowlkes and operated by Terrance Wesley Campbell, Consigliere is an upscale wine and tapas bar. It will feature an extensive wine list focusing on the African diaspora and New Jersey-based wineries.
• Casa De Flora – Grant Amount: $101,185 – 540 Broad St.
  • Owned by Maritza Walton, Casa De Flora is a retail flower boutique and coffee café, providing a welcoming space for brunch, work and events.
• Katherine’s Restaurant – Grant Amount: $550,000 – 110 Edison Place Suite 204
  • Owned by Newark resident Jason Wallace, Katherine’s Restaurant & Brewery will offer American cuisine and onsite brewed signature lagers, ales and stouts.
• Equal Space – Grant Amount: $625,000 – 550 Broad St. Floor 1st, 2nd and 4th
  • Owned by Newark resident Citi Medina, Equal Space is a co-working space catering to entrepreneurs, founders and small businesses led by people of color, women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Delta’s – Grant Amount: $600,000 – 810 Broad St.
  • Owned by successful restaurateur Joshua K Suggs, Delta’s is a full-service restaurant and bar serving Southern Cuisine with live entertainment.

“These entrepreneurs are diverse, local, and prepared to offer quality amenities to our residents, students, and workers,” said Marcus T. Randolph, president and & CEO of Invest Newark. “They are investing in our downtown core and we are proud to be able to invest in them and their dreams. Powered by our commitment to innovation and love for our community, we’re creating an ecosystem that will shape the future of Newark for generations to come.”

Aligned with the city’s efforts to boost foot traffic to local businesses, enhance Newark’s commercial corridors and increase public safety, new festival lights have been installed on Halsey Street. This placemaking endeavor represents a collaborative effort between Newark Alliance, Newark Downtown District, Prudential Financial, McLaren Engineering Group and local stakeholders, reflecting our shared dedication to fostering a safe and vibrant urban environment. Halsey Street marks as the second phase of the Festival Lighting Project, building upon the success of the initial phase at Newark’s Treat Place.

“I’m so excited to see the festival lights up and all the incredible businesses that are getting a serious infusion of funds to grow and prosper in Newark,” said Evan Weiss, President and CEO of the Newark Alliance. “But what I’m most excited about is how our City, our State, and our economic development community came together to make big things happen.”

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