T-R file photo Zeno’s Pizza and Fiddle & Whistle Pub — owned by Aaron and Michele Buzbee — were two of the 10 Marshall County businesses to be awarded Small Business Grants by the Iowa Economic Development Authority over the past week.

Iowa’s local businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic with a large number of closures and uncertainty about when places will be able to open again.

However in the past week, 10 businesses in Marshall County were awarded Small Business Grants by the Iowa Economic Development Authority as part of a new $24 million (up from the previously allocated $4 million) campaign from Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state of Iowa to provide aid to small businesses in the state. The list of all awardees throughout the state can be found on the Iowa Economic Development webpage.

The 10 Marshall County recipients – who have not officially received the funds as of yet but have been notified by the state — will be given grants worth a combined $187,342 to help supplement some of the lost revenue from forced closures and help establishments keep up with bills.

Businesses that applied to receive a grant were triaged by the state to project revenue loss or each organization through the period of March 15 to April 15. Then, according to the state’s Small Business Relief Program page, “For the first round of funding (April 7-10), priority was given to businesses demonstrating projected revenue losses of 75% or greater and businesses that were among the first to close due to the public health emergency.”

The sites that will be awarded funds in Marshall County range from catering companies to restaurants like Zeno’s and La Carreta, and daycare centers.

Marshalltown business owner Aaron Buzbee has two establishments getting grant money from the IED — Zeno’s Pizza ($25,000) and Fiddle and Whistle Pub ($7,500) — and is thankful to the state for “putting their money where their mouths are” in funding vulnerable small businesses.

“The State and Economic Development is doing a lot of the right things,” Buzbee said.

Buzbee said it’s been difficult adjusting to the times, with no business at all going to Fiddle and Whistle. He said the money from the state will allow the pub to pay ongoing expenses and stay afloat until things can return to normal.

Zeno’s — a staple of Marshalltown and in business since 1952 — is still taking carry-out orders, but Buzbee was quick to point out it doesn’t make up for the loss of sit-down revenue. He said that is part of what makes the help from the IED so important: its impact on workers.

“We’re a 200-seat restaurant functioning as a carry-out pizzeria right now,” Buzbee said. “This helps us stay current and allows us to keep people working.”

Wayward Social, the bowling alley/bar/restaurant/arcade run by Buzbee and his wife, Michele, is mostly closed down as well. He said they do carry-out orders Wednesday-Sunday, but the revenue isn’t the same with three major income streams – bar, bowling and arcade – closed for an unknown amount of time. Buzbee said they’re doing what they can, and that he hopes the building can open back up and return to normal soon – although the carry-out ventures for Wayward Social and Zeno’s are surpassing his expectations.

“The community’s been so supportive,” Buzbee said.

Small Business Grant awardees in Marshall County:

E & E Properties LLC — $25,000

Katie J’s Cakes and Catering — $25,000

TC’s Riverside Pub — $25,000

Marshalltown Pizza INC (Zeno’s) — $25,000

La Carreta Mexican Restaurant — $25,000

Lowe’s Flowers LLC — $20,000

Bobcat Academy LLC — $15,000

Dandy-Lion Daycare — $12,842

Walk On LLC — $7,500

Laurels Pour House LLC — $7,000

TOTAL: $187,342