New Haven fashion designer Neville Wisdom opened a second location on Whalley Avenue on Wednesday, thanks to a state grant that will match funds up to $100,000.
"It's very exciting, also nerve-wracking, the start of expanding the business and trying to make everything work," said Wisdom.
He plans to use the new store at 903 Whalley Avenue as his primary location but will keep his Orange Street studio open as well.
"For small businesses, I think one of the things that really helped me was that I kept really good records. We had an accountant from the earlier days of our company, so we kept track of all the stuff that we needed to. We were never delinquent on any taxes," said Wisdom.
He said those records helped him secure state funding.
Deputy Economic Director Jacqueline James said a lot of small businesses need the city's help.
"A lot of them are in need of an assessment to understand their growth, and what services and tools they need to sustain or build capacity. They're also in need of access to capital," said James.
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Grants, like the one Wisdom secured, are just part of what's needed, and the city hopes to work with small businesses to get them the rest.
"It's about providing resources, or having the resources to provide to the people, the small businesses," said James.
Next month, the city is opening a new small business academy on Dixwell Avenue where small business owners can attend workshops.
