MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The owners of a family business in North Memphis said they have applied for two government loans offered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but have not heard any indication of whether they’ll get help.
Katesha Hunt helped her grandmother Billie apply for help for their restaurant, Family Bar-B-Q and Snack Bar, on Chelsea Avenue.
“It’s just a small, little business we’re trying to keep afloat during these hard times! Even though they’re closed, there are still bills due, still utility bills, you still have to pay for security,” Hunt said.
She said at this point, they were around $5,000 in the hole.
They’ve applied for any assistance they can find, including loans from the Small Business Administration, as well as the City of Memphis.
Mayor Jim Strickland announced the local loan program April 13.
“To ease the burden, we at the City of Memphis have created two micro-loan programs,” Strickland said.
Hunt said they applied for the Economic Hardship Emergency Loan Fund.
It promised up to $5,000 with no interest for six months.
“At this point, anything would help,” Hunt said. “I just hope the process isn’t too long because we don’t know how much longer we can go.”
She said they haven’t heard anything back from either the city or the federal government.
