影响变化, representing the community and enhancing the services in Atlanta … all things Azhia 棕色（的） is committed to. 这个年轻的, Black entrepreneur sees growth in the west side of the city and, rather than being a spectator to change, 她马上就要加入了. 棕色（的） owns City Dogz ATL, a unique boutique dog grooming and boarding facility. She opened her business prior to 2020 and then, like many business owners, ran into some challenges. That is when she learned about the 亚特兰大商业开放基金.

“We couldn’t have done this without the help of e世博esball (and the Open for Business Fund),布朗解释道. “的 grant is allowing us to build out our physical space and really represent what is happening in west Atlanta. This area is about growth, community and support, and I hope this space personifies that.”

的 Atlanta Open for Business Commercial Property Improvement Grant (CPIG) enabled her to make big changes in her corner of the city. 的 grant is possible because of a $20 million donation from Wells Fargo to help Atlanta small business owners own more of their businesses’ assets, including property and equipment, and to enable physical upgrades to their facilities. e世博esball, in collaboration with United Way of Greater Atlanta, will distribute the funding as a mix of grants and loans in the city, with a focus on Black-owned and other diverse-owned businesses.

的 CPIG money will do two big things for her business. 的 first is to fence in the area and create a safe space for dogs and their owners as well as keep people passing by safe. 的 second is the addition of turf and large containers.

棕色（的） says the turf will be used in the play yard for pups while the containers serve as a barrier and will later be used for a planned expansion of services. 棕色（的）’s vision for City Dogz is to be more than boarding and grooming. She intends to create a dog community for the pet owners around the area.

“We want to offer residents in the area the use of our yard after hours so people walking their animals have a safe place for them to run,她说。. “We also want to expand to a self-service after hours dog wash for those who live nearby.”

棕色（的）, who has mapped out her growth strategy for City Dogz ATL, says without Atlanta Open for Business it would take a lot longer for her dreams to be realized.

的 亚特兰大商业开放基金 is designed to help small business owners in Atlanta build wealth and to help Atlanta businesses impacted by the pandemic recover.