Small businesses in Maryland are getting a big boost thanks to grant funding

Nearly $7.9 million. That's how much local businesses throughout Maryland will be getting.

One of those small businesses is the Baltimore Music Company - they say this is the last piece of the puzzle to make their business complete.

"This is it. This completes dreams. This lets us build instruments here, repair instruments here," said Steve Blake, the owner.

Since April 2023, the Baltimore Music Company has been operating in North Baltimore.

This hidden gem is a one-stop-shop for music lovers.

"It's a spot for musicians and people that love music, people that are into music to come and hang out and get to know each other, buy gear, sell gear, get your instruments fixed, take lessons. It's just supposed to be a hub," Blake said.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development along with three state programs hope this grant revitalizes small businesses in Central Maryland.

Blake says for them, it does just that. Completing the manufacturing portion of their business.

"We didn't have our spray booth, and our spray booth is the foundation of our manufacturing. That's how we finish instruments, do huge restorations, and we have have a great operator and we've been just been dying to finish this," added Blake.

Blake says they depended on this grant, which wouldn't have happened if it weren't for part-owner and operations manager Erika Rue.

"I stayed incredibly optimistic the whole time," Rue said. "After I applied, I was like I know we're going to get it. I know that we had all the materials provided and everything checked out and I know what we're going to use the it for was really important."

As a start-up business, she says grants are extremely pivotal to success.

"In terms of getting access to money that you might not have had in the beginning, people have so many amazing ideas they just don't have the backing to get it onto that next level," said Rue.

So now, the Baltimore Music Company can thrive, doing what they love in the city.

"What we're going to use it for, to make the guitars, is just that last missing really cool piece to what our business is going to bring," Rue said.

The owners say it'll take a few months before their spray station is up and running.