By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Decatur City Council recently funded its facade program for next year, a decision hailed by Anna Gerber.
Gerber, one of the three owners of Sorinna’s Bakery on Second St. in downtown Decatur, is a strong supporter of the program which provides matching funds for facade improvements.
The trio – Gerber, Korinn Kershner and Sophie Isch – used the city program to erect a new, lighted sign on the front of their business.
The program “went beautifully; we were super pleased,” Gerber told WZBD.com. “We went through the whole process, starting with the (information) meeting. It was a smooth process.”
Sorinna’s began with a canvas sign out front which, thanks to help from the city program, has been replaced by one that Gerber called “beautiful.”
She said the threesome is thinking about applying for the program in 2027 to make some further improvements.
Sorinna’s – the name comes from letters in the first names of the three women – was launched in June of 2024. “Until then, we were working out of one of the basement of one of the owners,” Gerber laughed.
Looking for a place to set up shop, the women found the downtown building available.
“It was kind of lucky,” Gerber said. “We had not noticed it (the current building) before. Then we suddenly saw it was available – and we had it leased the next day!”
STARTED 2016: City council began the facade program in 2016.
For the first 10 years, the program was available only to businesses in the downtown area. Now, though, it has been expanded to be available for businesses which operate primarily within the city limits of Decatur.
To qualify, a business must be a member of Decatur Main Street and/or Chamber of Commerce, contribute to the city’s economy, be independently owned and operated, employ under 50 people, and not be dominant in its field on a national basis.
A business may seek a grant of up to $10,000 and the city will match the requested amount. Any amount requested will be considered.
The city just approved $25,000 for the program for next year.
About the Author
