(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a timely partnership with Ace Hardware and The Home Depot to secure winterization equipment such as heaters, furniture, and lighting to assist restaurants as they winterize their outdoor spaces.
“We know that one of the best ways we can support our restaurants is to help them stay open and able to provide outdoor seating, even during the winter months,” said Mayor Bowser. “This new partnership with Ace Hardware and The Home Depot will enable Streatery Winter Ready Grant recipients to quickly and more easily secure the materials and equipment that they need.”
The Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture (MONC) has partnered with the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) and the DowntownDC BID to purchase a bulk order of portable fuel-fired heaters from Ace Hardware DC and Twins Ace Hardware in Arlington, Virginia. As the need for fuel-fired patio heaters is being determined, businesses are encouraged to fill out the RAMW survey. Heater distribution will be coordinated through the DowntownDC BID and RAMW. Interested businesses can receive more information on acquiring other outdoor equipment from Ace Hardware by contacting Katherine Fuchs (Ace Hardware DC) or Billy Reilly (Twins Ace Hardware Arlington).
The Home Depot partnership includes a customized catalog specifically for District restaurants, which can be found at coronavirus.dc.gov/recovery-business. The Home Depot has dedicated a personalized procurement agent for business operators to discuss their specific needs and to make purchases.
“As we began to have conversations about what streateries would look like during the colder months, we heard feedback from the industry that heaters were in high demand,” said MONC Director Shawn Townsend. “We are grateful to have government partners like RAMW and the BID to assist us in providing relief, as we are all in this together.”
On September 20, 2020, Mayor Bowser announced a $4 million investment through the new Streatery Winter Ready Grant program to assist restaurants as they winterize their outdoor dining areas and maintain outdoor dining operations through the colder months. MONC, along with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), have been providing recipients with $6,000 to purchase winterization materials such as tents, heaters, propane, lighting, furniture, advertising cost, and more.
“The tremendous interest in our Streatery Winter Ready Grant program showed us that our restaurants are committed to serving residents in the most creative and safest ways possible,” said John Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. “This partnership is a huge help in getting our businesses what they need to keep employees working and help patrons have the most comfortable and safe outdoor dining experience during the colder months.”
To date, MONC has awarded $2,448,000 to 408 Streatery Winter Ready Grant recipients. Of the 735 applications, 634 have received conditional award letters. Businesses can still apply at coronavirus.dc.gov/recovery-business – but will be waitlisted, pending future available funds. As funds become available, businesses will be notified.
“All restaurants in the DowntownDC BID and the District of Columbia have been severely impacted by COVID-19,” said Neil Albert, President & CEO of DowntownDC BID. “The Bowser Administration’s partnership with The Home Depot and Ace Hardware will provide an additional lifeline to our struggling restaurants. DowntownDC BID is honored to partner with the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in procuring and distributing heaters to restaurants in need.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Mayor's Office of Nightlife and Culture and the DowntownDC BID to help provide heaters for streateries so that the restaurants can make a seamless transition into the colder months and continue to take advantage of outdoor dining,” said Kathy E. Hollinger, President and CEO of RAMW.