Tag: Jamaal Stricklin

Madison Public Market Foundation Receives $4 Million Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant

Posted on by James Shulkin

Governor Tony Evers, at an event held on February 24, announced that the City of Madison will receive $6 million and Dane County will receive nearly $15 million as part of the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant program. Of the amount provided to the City, $4 million is designated towards the creation of the proposed Madison Public Market. The funds were made available by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and are intended to assist local governments and nonprofits working to restore economic activity in Wisconsin following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to the Governor’s statement, these funds will be used for community development projects that expand affordable housing, bolster economic, social, and cultural opportunities, and support business development and entrepreneurship. Other Grant recipients include the Black Business Hub, the Center for Black Excellence & Culture, Bayview Foundation and Centro Hispano.

“We are especially pleased that funding has been made available for the proposed Madison Public Market, and that this shovel-ready project has been recognized by the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration as an important business development endeavor, working to restore economic activity following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jamaal Stricklin, Madison Public Market Foundation board chair. 

The proposed Madison Public Market is a collaboration between the City of Madison, which owns the former Fleet Services Building at First Street and East Johnson Street, and the Madison Public Market Foundation, which will operate the Market at that location. The Public Market is a vital food and equity-based economic development initiative that is mission-driven to create jobs and new businesses, and to establish an iconic welcoming destination for all. 

Stricklin adds, “The Public Market will be a real boost to the regional economy and will benefit substantially from these construction-related funds. Most importantly, we look forward to creating new business development opportunities for regional food entrepreneurs and crafts persons, with an emphasis on those owned and operated by people of color, women, and first generation immigrants. We are thankful that this new funding source will bring us closer to our financial goal, resulting in a market that is welcoming for both visitors to the city as well as local residents looking for a regular shopping or dining experience.”

The City of Madison, led by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and the economic development team, have been essential and invaluable partners to the Madison Public Market Foundation in bringing the Market to fruition.  

As reported in a Wisconsin State Journal article covering the Governor’s announcement, the City is prepared to move forward with the Market’s construction. “The market’s financing piece is now “locked in,” said Matt Wachter, city planning, community and economic director. The city can now pursue a construction contract, contracts with the operator, the Madison Public Market Foundation, and seek other final approvals for the project, he said.

“With this funding, we will be breaking ground this year in November,” said Madison Public Market Foundation board member Anne Reynolds. “There’s been so much uncertainty over the past two years, but now we finally have some certainty. It’s really exciting. We are confident that the Market will be a cultural jewel, showcasing the very best of our diverse food history, arts, music and crafts.”

Annually, the Market will attract 500,000+ visitors, support 130 new and existing local businesses through permanent and temporary vending space and generate $16 – $20 million in local sales. 

The former Fleet Services Building at 202 N. First Street is a 1960s era industrial garage ideally designed and sized for the proposed Market activities. As the final pieces of funding are secured and the necessary City of Madison approvals occur, the building is expected to begin transitioning to Public Market development activity later this year. Market construction is expected to begin in late 2022, with an anticipated opening in late 2023.

More than 200 businesses have completed the Vendor Interest Form to express desire to operate within the Public Market. Some are well-established local businesses interested in the Public Market as a new location to grow their enterprise. Several prospective vendors are interested in a larger space for a restaurant, a bakery, a larger retail space, or food production facility. 

The Public Market’s proposed Food Innovation Center will offer new and existing small busineses affordable space as well as access to specialized food preparation, packaging and distribution facilities. New food product testing can easily be arranged by offering samples to Market visitors. The Food Innovation Center will be a complementary space operating in support of existing commercial kitchens available to small businesses. 

 

COVID-19 prompts innovative collaboration among Christine’s Kitchens, FEED and MarketReady

Posted on by Amanda White

It’s times like these when we depend on our friends and family to help us through. The Coronavirus and the Safe at Home initiative has us spending more time at home and foregoing trips to our favorite restaurants. With large gatherings cancelled or postponed, catering operations have no one to cook for. That’s been especially hard on small business operators in food production, catering and restaurants. Revenue is down considerably. In fact, according to the James Beard Foundation, four out of five independent restaurants may not survive the pandemic.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and many in the food industry have had to be creative to continue operating. Fortunately, Christine’s Kitchens has partnered with FEED Kitchens and the Madison Public Market’s MarketReady program to organize and deliver pre-packaged food items on a weekly basis. Over 30 vendors are represented, offering everything from apple straps to whoopie pies.

Christine Ameigh, best known for her Slide Gourmet Potato Chips, operates Christine’s Kitchens, an east-side commercial kitchen shared with other food producers such as jam makers, bakers, caterers and pickles and preserves wholesalers. With approximately 60 percent of her potato chip business reliant on now-closed bars, she had a considerable amount of stock that needed to be sold quickly. After organizing and promoting a successful online sales effort, many of her fellow producers were intrigued. Together, they built upon the concept and now offer an expanded assortment of packaged and prepared food products, including fresh-made meals. Approximately 70 no-contact deliveries were made during the first week, and later, with MarketReady vendors participating, the following week’s orders totaled more than 200. Over $30,000 in products have been sold and 500 deliveries been made since early April.

“As a business owner, trying to adapt to the ever-changing world is 100 percent necessary and usually never planned”, says Ameigh. “The sales have just been stupendous. We are very excited. If you go on our website, you’ll see you can probably order everything you’ll need to eat for at least one week, maybe two.”

Well-loved catering companies are represented. Aloha Wagon offers a Huli Huli chicken lunch plate, sweet teriyaki boneless chicken thighs, purple rice and authentic Hawaiian Mac salad. Bunky’s provides hummus, baba ghanouj, lentil soup and baklava. Caracas Empanadas sells shredded beef & cheese, chicken, breakfast, and pulled pork empanadas. You can get your soul food fix from Melly Mel’s with an order of fried chicken, collards, corn bread and mac and cheese. Melly Mel’s offerings in May will feature BBQ chicken and baby back ribs combos including mac and greens. Ember Foods, famous for Indian food, is selling samosas, chicken korma and chana masala.

Carmel Jackson, also known as “Melly Mel” and owner of the namesake catering service, was fearful when the coronavirus outbreak occurred. Catering jobs were cancelled, and she wondered how she would continue. As a MarketReady Program participant, she was able to offer her menu via the Christine’s Kitchens website. “I was so happy that this opportunity became available to me. It put me at ease as I was able to get the money I needed for my business to survive. This is truly a blessing for me as I’m not sitting at home, just hoping to not get sick.” Jackson also found inspiration in the online ordering service. “The way this has come together gives us hope, keeps our spirits up and opens our heart to others”, she adds.

Yakub Kazi and Nausheen Qureishi, who operate Ember Foods are also thankful for the new delivery service. “This has been a blessing for us” says Kazi. “With orders from our largest customer halted, selling through Christine’s Kitchen has provided valuable relief. Christine has been excellent to work with.”

Specialty foods are also available. Shoppers will find an assortment of delicious cookies and cheesecakes from Looking Glass Bakery, award winning chocolates and confections from Roots Chocolates, cooking sauces from Madame Chu Delicacies, and a variety of cheeses from Farmer Johns’ Cheese. Super Charge! Foods sells mixed greens, ready-made salads, spring rolls and wraps. Offerings from other vendors include fresh baked breads, vegetables, coffee, charcuterie-style meats, soaps, caramelized pecans, pizza and popcorn, and more.

Jamaal Stricklin of Super Charge! Foods saw a 60 percent downturn in business because of the coronavirus pandemic. With his restaurant and retail store closed, he foresaw the prospect of losing the business. “Faced with this challenge, my team and I did what entrepreneurs do. We worked with Christine to grow our revenue through this delivery service.” The rewards have been significant. “We now have an alternate source of income from this new business model and have recouped some of lost revenue. While we are still fine tuning these efforts, it has helped us realize we could add a regular, supplemental delivery service that we now provide on our own.”

Stricklin also expressed his appreciation for the service provided by Christine’s Kitchens. “Christine has been wonderful to work with. I know that coordinating all the orders and making this service happen takes a great deal of effort.”

Visitors to the Christine’s Kitchens website will find instructions for delivery and full menus and product listings from each vendor. Order periods occur over a six-day timeframe, with delivery occurring a few days later. Free delivery is offered for orders over $20 to Madison, Sun Prairie, Columbus, Windsor, Deforest, Middleton, Oregon, McFarland, Verona, Cross Plains, Stoughton, Cottage Grove, Fitchburg, Waunakee and Monona.

The MarketReady program is an initiative sponsored by the City of Madison and administered by the Northside Planning Council as part of the proposed Madison Public Market. MarketReady is focused on providing training, supportive services and micro-grants for low income populations, people of color, immigrants, women, displaced workers, veterans and LGBTQ individuals interested in becoming Madison Public Market vendors.

Megan Ballard, project manager at the Madison Public Market Foundation believes that the collaborative effort among MarketReady, Christine’s Kitchens and FEED Kitchens exemplifies how small businesses can work together to weather these economic hard times. She looks forward to the opening of the 44,000 square foot market at First Street and East Johnson Street, which will include a 9,000 square foot Public Market Kitchen. This space will be dedicated to small businesses focused on food production and distribution. “With the COVID-19 crisis so heavily impacting small businesses, especially farmers, restaurants, and food producers, it’s important now more than ever to create a shared, community space like the Madison Public Market where small, family-owned businesses can thrive.”

In reference to the collaboration based at Christine’s Kitchens, Ballard adds, “This is just one powerful example of how small businesses united under one roof are stronger and more successful.”

Friends and family can truly help us persevere, even in the most difficult of times.

For more information about the proposed Madison Public Market, please visit MadisonPublicMarket.org.