The Suburban Shopfront Improvement Grant provides matched funding of up to 50 per cent of the cost of improvements to facades (new facades, murals, green walls) while the Pop-up Shop Program matches online and home-based businesses wanting to launch a pop-up shop with landlords who have vacant retail space.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the grants were designed to give businesses and shop owners the leg-up they need to breathe new life into their shopfront and fill vacant retail spaces.

“We’re re-launching our Pop-Up Shop Program alongside another round of our popular Suburban Shopfront Improvement Grants , as part of Council’s wider $58.3 million support package for small business,” Schrinner said.

“Businesses have done it really tough during the lockdowns and many may not have been as able to invest in cosmetic changes they had planned,  such as vibrant new facades, murals and green walls.

“By breathing new life into suburban shopfronts, not only are businesses giving themselves a greater chance of attracting interest from customers, but they’re also helping to reinvigorate suburban shopping strips by making them more attractive places to visit.”

Leafy Theory owner Jovy Gilera used the program to successfully launch her first pop-up shop in Hamilton as part of the pilot Pop-Up Shop Grant Programme in 2020.

The business, which sells indoor plants, pots and other plant related accessories, was born out of passion for diverse and unique plant species and has since been named one of the Urban List’s Best Plant Shops in Brisbane.

“We are very fortunate and grateful to have been involved and we’ve definitely seen an increase in sales since our pop-up shop launched,” Gilera said.

“Having a bricks and mortar store has helped us to gain the trust of our customers and create a positive experience for them.”

The 2020 pilot program funded the facilitation of 12 pop-up shops in suburban areas, and following its success has since been expanded to include locations in Brisbane CBD and doubled the grants available to landlords and tenants from $2000 each to $4000 each.

Meanwhile, the Suburban Shopfront Improvement Grant is a matched grant for suburban businesses to cover up to 50 per cent of the cost of external improvements, to a maximum amount of $5000.

Applications for the 2021-22 financial year have now opened, to apply for Council’s Suburban Shopfront Improvement Grant or Pop-up Shop Program visit Council’s website.