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A Henrico native and local business owner is one of more than 200 recipients nationally to earn a $10,000 national Backing Black Business cash grant.
Tequila Canty, owner of The Art Lounge in Midlothian, earned the grant from the Reimagine Main Street project. The grants are designed to fuel the growth aspirations and boost the trajectory of each of the Black-women-led businesses selected to receive them.
“Winning this grant is a prayer that came true. Honestly, I’m still in shock but, I’m so grateful that this organization and their partners saw something in The Art Lounge and decided to invest,” said Canty.
Canty’s love for drawing and painting drove her to opening The Art Lounge in Eastern Henrico in January 2019 but, after the pandemic began the following year, she had to quickly pivot to an arts and craft party supply shop – a move that turned out to be a blessing in disguise, she said.
“Not only do we get to share our love of painting with our community but, we now have the ability to share it with others all over the world,” Canty said. The Art Lounge now offers an all-inclusive painting kit called “Paint Parties to Gogh” that gives people the opportunity to host their own paint parties. The kits are available on the company’s website and include a canvas with a predawn picture, paint, paint brush(es), one disposable apron and paint tray, along with a copy of the completed picture and other items. The store also offers a small curated wine selection in-store that features local, minority, and women-owned wine brands.
“I wanted to make sure that we represent the under represented,” Canty said. “Even if it’s just a small selection for now, I feel that we’re doing our part in keeping another woman’s dream alive.”
Canty moved her location to Midlothian and plans to use the grant to assist with hiring marketing help, along with more female artists and creators.
“This will ensure that we can offer our customers more amazing painting and crafting kits,” she said.
The Backing Black Business Small Business Grants program winners, announced at the culmination of Black History Month, include women entrepreneurs competing in 10 industries including health care, finance, food and beverage, child care, construction, fitness and marketing, from communities throughout the nation.
“Black women entrepreneurs are vital contributors to our national and local economies, innovating products and services to meet customer demand and creating jobs,” said Tammy Halevy, Co-lead of Reimagine Main Street. “By providing Black women entrepreneurs with cash grants and other valuable support and resources, we can help these small business leaders in their communities keep thriving as we emerge from the economic effects of the pandemic.”
