POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Hop around Pottsville and you'll see your fair share of empty storefronts, but if you're an aspiring entrepreneur, you could occupy one of those buildings and even get paid to do so.
"We want to create an ecosystem that caters to small business and that you can come into Pottsville, open a small a small business and be successful," said Savas Logothetides, executive director of the Pottsville Area Development Corporation (PADCO).
The organization recently announced the Launch Pottsville competition. It's a three-phase, nine-month business plan contest that will award up to three entrepreneurs $50,000 in startup capital and around $10,000 in other services.
To be considered, you'll have to apply, put together an executive summary, and make a video pitch.
"I found this article, there's this place in Virginia. It's a rural, coalmining town, economy in decline, they did something similar. We said this makes sense. Let's do a small business plan competition, let's get some regional and local support and we're going to put them in business in downtown Pottsville," Logothetides said.
This is also being done with the hopes that some of these empty storefronts will turn into thriving businesses in the city's downtown.
"As a small business owner and the executive director of the economic development entity in the city of Pottsville, I want to see buildings filled, I want to see jobs created and I think that goes for everybody in the city of Pottsville," Logothetides added.
The application window opens on February 15 and runs until April 15.