SNOW HILL, Md. - Downtown Snow Hill leaders are rolling out a package of incentives to recruit new shops and services to the town, pairing rent relief and build-out support with a tight timeline to open.
The nonprofit Downtown Snow Hill organization says 11 buildings sit vacant in the B1 historic commercial district. Diana Nolte said the group is using a state grant to convert empty spaces into operating businesses.
“Obviously we’d like to fill up all of them, but we have special grant funding that needs to be used by the end of the year or early next year to take a vacant space and get a business up and operating in that space. So that’s our goal,” Nolte said.
The funding originated with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Nolte said the grant was reassigned to the Main Street group with the expectation that awards would move quickly.
The package includes up to two months of free rent for qualified applicants, build-to-suit spaces ranging from about 800 to 1,400 square feet, and an allowance for equipment and fixtures such as point-of-sale systems, lighting and signage. First-year rents typically range from about $500 to $1,200 per month, depending on size and location, according to program materials.
Applications are being accepted through Maryland Coast Economic Development. Local leaders say they will prioritize concepts identified in a market study, including pet supplies, home furnishings, boutique jewelry, a specialty brewery, coastal collectibles and optometry. The goal is to select winners this fall and begin build-outs soon after so doors can open by the end of 2025.
Longtime merchant Suzanne Timmons of Sassy Girl Boutique said the incentives could help turn ideas into storefronts.
“I can promise you that if you are a solid business owner, have a great business plan, and know what you’re doing, you can make this a very, very successful place to do business,” Timmons said.
Volunteers behind the effort also tie the recruitment push to a broader vision for Main Street as a community gathering place.
“The vision is to provide an opportunity for an aspiring business to join our business community and our Snow Hill community in general, and thrive,” said Olga Deshields, who serves on the organization’s design committee.
The incentive program is intended to complement ongoing downtown projects, including the planned Bank Street Promenade along the Pocomoke River. Town and nonprofit leaders say more storefront activity can extend visitor stays, support existing shops and expand the mix of goods and services available in the core business district.
Applicants can learn more and apply through Maryland Coast Economic Development. Organizers encourage interested business owners to reach out soon given the compressed timeline.