Milford Project Pop-Up business turns success into expansion

Delaware Branding Company launches screen printing segment to make T-shirts and more

Milford, DE – Since its inception in 2012, the Project Pop-Up program has been successful in helping 14 businesses sign long-term leases in once-vacant downtown spaces.

But some of these businesses are beginning to show a propensity to go beyond popping up from three months into a year. They are now expanding beyond their original footprint.

The latest business to do so is Delaware Branding Company, which received help with rent and advice from business advisors that allowed owners Mike and Amy Perfetti to move their enterprise into a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Milford.

Delaware Branding Company took off with its offering of graphic design, sign making, body art and DJ services, so much so that the Perfettis have now launched a screen printing production facility and is now making T-shirts, spirit gear for schools, athletic apparel, signs and vinyl lettering.

Gov. Jack Markell said the company is one of the many Delaware small businesses that have helped drive job growth in the state – growth that has far outpaced surrounding states over the past couple of years.

“Mike and Amy Perfetti represent the spirit, determination and talent of Delaware’s small business community,” Gov. Markell said. “The success of Delaware Branding Company is further evidence of why our state is committed to programs like Project Pop-Up that help ensure our entrepreneurs have the opportunity to turn their great ideas into thriving companies. I also applaud the City of Milford and Mayor Bryan Shupe for their efforts to welcome small businesses and work with the state to enhance Delaware’s historic downtowns.”

Delaware Branding Company, which is located at 19 NW Front St., launched through the Project Pop-Up program alongside Patty Cakes, a specialty bakery mere minutes away that has been doing brisk business since it opened last year.

The Perfettis’ business has also followed a trajectory similar to another Milford Project Pop-Up participant, Milford Massage, Wellness and Yoga. That business, which participated in 2013 and is owned by Paige Deiner, started out in a vacant space on Milford’s Front Street provided by the Pop- Up program. Within months, business had quadrupled, and Deiner had to move to a larger space a half mile away. Another business, Royal Treatments in Smyrna, expanded into a vacant space adjacent to its original Pop-Up shop, which is now home to Smyrna Cards and Gifts.

“The initial success of Delaware Branding Company demonstrated yet again that Project Pop-Up works. But its recent expansion shows Pop-Up’s ability to help these entrepreneurs reach a whole new level,” said Ken Anderson, Director of Entrepreneurial and Small Business Support for the Delaware Economic Development Office. “Project Pop-Up is not only finding the next great small business. It’s also finding the next great business on the rise. The sky is the limit for companies like Delaware Branding Company and business owners like Mike and Amy Perfetti.”

The move into screen printing was a natural one for Mike Perfetti, an award-winning graphic designer who teaches screen printing to special needs students. He said the warm welcome that he and his wife received in Milford helped Delaware Branding Company expand into screen printing.

“My wife and I have both opened businesses in the past, but have never felt the kind of connection and support that we have felt in Milford. We did some local advertising, and a bit of signage, but most of our clientele have been walk-in customers and word of mouth,” Perfetti said. “We wouldn’t be here at all without the help of the city, the state and the Project Pop-Up program, which helped us get started. Our success speaks to the potential and promise that this program offers.”

The Perfettis say that they are looking into hiring their special needs trainees to work in the screen printing shop, which would give the trainees a place to socialize and allow them to work with someone who is experienced in accommodating for their special needs.

The expansion into screen printing has also allowed co-owner Amy Perfetti to create a roller derby apparel line, MeanCat Roller Derby Apparel. Amy, who has been a roller derby player for nearly a decade, is working with business partner Maureen Maher of Philadelphia to launch an online store and attend roller derby conventions.

Project Pop-Up is a joint effort between the Delaware Economic Development Office and Downtown Delaware.

“The program has done an excellent job at boosting two key elements of the state’s economic development efforts: Downtowns and small businesses,” said Alan Levin, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office. “Larger firms will grab the headlines and generate buzz on social media, but these smaller businesses serve as the backbone of our economy.”

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Businesses selected for Project Pop-Up 2014

Participation more than doubles for state program, which offers rent-free commercial space

Dover, DE – Last year, five entrepreneurs jumped at an opportunity offered by the State of Delaware and used it to achieve their dreams of moving into a brick-and-mortar location.

Using last year’s success as a springboard for 2014, Project Pop-Up has more than doubled that number, as 13 businesses will participate in the program this holiday season.

Project Pop-Up, a joint effort between the Delaware Economic Development Office and Downtown Delaware, offers three months of rent-free commercial space and the assistance of a business advisor from October through December. The program also helps to spur economic development in towns across the state by placing businesses in renovated properties that were once vacant.

“The success of Delaware’s talented and hard-working entrepreneurs is vital to our state’s present and future economy,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “Project Pop-Up has proven to position them for long-term success, helping to turn their great ideas into thriving businesses, while reinvigorating vacant properties in our downtowns. Combined with initiatives like expanding the research and development tax credit for small businesses and reforming state regulations, this initiative is an essential part of our efforts to unleash the potential of Delaware’s small business community.

The following businesses will take part in Project Pop-Up 2014 and will open on Oct. 1:

Fresh Faced Skin Care, LLC, owned by Erica Suppa, 104 West Main Street, Middletown
Max Tax, LLC, owned by Gary and Nicole Kennedy, 202 North Union St., Wilmington
Patty Cakes, LLC, owned by Latricia Vicks, 22 South Walnut St., Milford
Skin by Hillary, LLC, owned by Hillary Reid, 105 Federal St., Milton
WineKnot21, LLC, owned by Amy Conroy, 113 Union Street Unit F, Milton

This year will also see the addition of a Project Pop-Up Incubator at 9^th and Shipley streets in Wilmington, which will include the following businesses:

Barrel of Makers, owned by Jesse Taylor
Cherné Altovise Jewelry, owned by Cherné Bishop
Dolley’s Sweet Cakes, owned by Andrienne Dolley
Fit Body Personal Training, owned by Ositadinma Ofuani
FLYOGI, owned by Jason Aviles
London Rocks Kids, owned by Damaris Colon
MIZ INK, owned by Michael Hill
Tasty Couture, owned by Theresa Holland

“The expansion of this year’s Pop-Up program to include a three-month incubator in the City of Wilmington will create an opportunity for early stage entrepreneurs to market test their products and services, during the holiday season, in an active downtown location,” said Ken Anderson, director for entrepreneurial and small business support for DEDO. “We are confident that a number of these businesses will be in a better position to pursue longer-term lease arrangements going forward.”

Last year’s Project Pop-Up participants included 302 Fitness, a personal training studio and small group workout center in Milton owned by John Lehne; Milton Wellness Center of Delaware, owned by Dr. Bill Shearer and Mary Van House; Milford Massage, Wellness and Yoga, owned by Paige Deiner; Royal Treatments, a home décor and window treatments business in downtown Smyrna owned by Karen Gill; and Computers Fixed Today, owned by Theo Morgan and located in Dover.

“The response to last year’s program was just phenomenal, and we couldn’t be happier with the fact that we were able to more than double the number of participating businesses,” said Diane Laird, State Coordinator for Downtown Delaware. “What was most encouraging was our ability to help last year’s businesses sign long-term leases beyond the holiday season. We hope to replicate that success this year.”

Last year, all five businesses signed long-term leases and continue to do business in the communities in which they were established.

Deiner’s business did so well that it outgrew its space and moved to a larger location less than a mile away. Since she first opened her business with the help of Project Pop-Up, Milford Massage has quadrupled its business, compiling in one day what it used to bring in over a week.

“I don’t think any of this would have been possible without Project Pop-Up,” Deiner said. “It was hard to take that risk and invest in something that I was unsure about. Project Pop-Up not only gave us a start, but it gave us constant support. It gave me the opportunity to work toward that dream with confidence.”

Project Pop-Up represents a “graduation phase” of DEDO’s support of small business, which begins with programs like Start It Up Delaware and continues with the Kauffman FastTrac Program, said Alan Levin, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office.

“Every big business started out as a small business. We provide financial assistance and support for small businesses because they are the future of our economy,” Levin said. “Project Pop-Up has been successful at identifying those individuals who are willing to take the leap and move ahead with their vision. These men and women will lead Delaware’s economy for years to come, and we will gladly support their efforts long after the ink dries on their first long-term lease.”

About the Delaware Economic Development Office

The Delaware Economic Development Office is an executive state agency responsible for attracting new investors and businesses to the state, promoting the expansion of existing industry, assisting small and minority-owned businesses, promoting and developing tourism and creating new and improved employment opportunities for all citizens of the State. Visit dedo.delaware.gov.

About Downtown Delaware

Downtown Delaware, a program of the Delaware Economic Development Office, provides Delaware’s historic downtowns, communities, and small businesses with tools to revitalize their commercial districts, increase entrepreneurial opportunity, and enhance quality of place. To learn more about the Main Street program, visit www.delawaremainstreet.com.

Contact:

Peter Bothum Delaware Economic Development Office peter.bothum@delaware.gov Office: 302-672-6857 Cell: 302-632-6665

Project Pop-Up brings new businesses to Delaware downtowns

Great opportunity for entrepreneurs in Milford, Milton, Smyrna and Dover

DOVER, Del. (Oct. 15, 2013) – Once-vacant properties in four Delaware downtowns have been transformed into wellsprings of opportunity thanks to a state-run program offering small business owners a head start in brick-and-mortar locations.

Project Pop-Up 2013 has provided three months of rent-free retail space to five total businesses in Milford, Milton, Smyrna and Dover. The program, a joint effort of the Delaware Economic Development Office and local stakeholders in these towns, also offers assistance from a business advisor.

Three of the Pop-Up businesses held grand openings this week attended by Alan Levin, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office; Diane Laird, State Coordinator for Downtown Delaware; Ken Anderson, Project Pop-Up Business Advisor and DEDO’s Director of Entrepreneurial & Small Business Support; and other state and local officials.

“Project Pop-Up demonstrates why small business is a big driver for Delaware’s economy,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “The success of this program underscores the fact that there are entrepreneurs who want a shot at starting and growing businesses, and downtown communities have a home for them.”

The goal of Project Pop-Up is to fill vacant properties in Delaware’s downtowns during the holiday season. But unlike Pop-Up programs in other cities across the country, the First State’s program encourages small business owners to sign long-term leases.

This year’s businesses are as follows:

Milford Massage, Wellness and Yoga, 127 NW Front St., Milford. Owner Paige Deiner provides massage, Reiki, yoga and self-development classes in her 766-square-foot location off historic Front Street in the recently restored Governor William Tharp Building.
302 Fitness, 113 Union St., Unit A, Milton. The personal training studio and small group workout center, owned by John Lehne, offers fully customized training plans and group workouts such as yoga, boot camps, circuit training and more in its 1,100-square-foot-space.
Royal Treatments, 14 S. Main St., Smyrna. Karen Gill’s business offers custom window treatments, home décor and accessories in a 1,200-square-foot space.
Computers Fixed Today, 131 W. Loockerman St., Dover. The computer retail and repair business, owned by Theo Morgan, sells laptops and other computer equipment and provides services such as virus removal and network installation set-up.
Milton Wellness Center of Delaware, 113 Union St., Unit B, Milton. The business, owned by Dr. Bill Shearer and Mary Van House, offers human performance consulting including yoga, coaching and sports psychology.

“We are proud to offer this program as an incentive for these entrepreneurs, but they are the ones who took the leap, and for that we applaud them,” Levin said. “It’s great to see an infusion of new businesses and fresh faces and ideas in some of Delaware’s most historic downtowns.”

Last year’s inaugural Project Pop-Up helped two business owners sign leases beyond the three months of free rent.

This year, all selectees have signed leases that will allow them to make a smooth transition to paid occupancy beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

“We had property owners looking beyond the three-month trial period long before they officially moved in,” said Diane Laird, State Coordinator for Downtown Delaware. “Not only are these towns getting new businesses, they’re also getting devoted business owners who are in this for the long-haul.”

About the Delaware Economic Development Office
The Delaware Economic Development Office is an executive state agency responsible for attracting new investors and businesses to the state, promoting the expansion of existing industry, assisting small and minority-owned businesses, promoting and developing tourism and creating new and improved employment opportunities for all citizens of the State. Visit dedo.delaware.gov.

About Downtown Delaware
Downtown Delaware, a program of the Delaware Economic Development Office, provides Delaware’s historic downtowns, communities, and small businesses with tools to revitalize their commercial districts, increase entrepreneurial opportunity, and enhance quality of place. To learn more about the Main Street program, visit www.delawaremainstreet.com.

Five Businesses Set to Pop Up in Delaware Downtowns

Dover, Milford, Milton and Smyrna will have vacancies filled during holiday season

DOVER, Del. (Sept. 19, 2013) – Owners of five Delaware businesses are thinking holidays already, and they have every reason to do so – they’ll be taking part in a state-led initiative that will provide them with rent-free commercial space for three months in a Delaware downtown from October through December.

The new businesses chosen to participate in Project Pop-Up 2013 will open by Oct. 1 in Dover, Milford, Milton and Smyrna.

Unlike more traditional Pop-Up programs in other areas of the country, Delaware’s Project Pop-Up has the dual goal of helping small business owners sign a long-term lease to occupy a brick-and-mortar location while also filling vacant properties in the state’s towns. This year, all selectees have signed leases that will allow them to make a smooth transition to paid occupancy beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

“We support small businesses at every phase of their development, because small business is big business in Delaware,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “This program has become an integral part of the reshaping of our economy by not only promoting entrepreneurship but also revitalizing our downtowns.”

The following businesses were chosen to take part in Project Pop-Up 2013:

Computers Fixed Today, a computer repair/ retail company in Dover owned by Theo Morgan.
302Fitness, a personal training studio and small group workout center in Milton owned by John Lehne.
Milton Wellness Center of Delaware, which offers human performance consulting including yoga, coaching and sports psychology, run by Dr. Bill Shearer and Mary Van House.
Milford Massage, Wellness and Yoga, a Milford-based business owned by Paige Deiner.
Royal Treatments, a Smyrna-based business owned by Karen Gill that offers custom window treatments, home décor and accessories.

This is the second year that the Delaware Economic Development Office and Downtown Delaware have offered Project Pop-Up, with last year’s program placing three businesses in open spaces.

Both Amber Shader, owner of First & Little baby boutique in Middletown, and Jenn White, owner of Little Posies Photography in Milford, signed long-term leases to stay in their properties beyond the three-month period offered by the program.

“Last year, two of our success stories quickly became part of their respective downtown business communities,” said Diane Laird, DEDO State Coordinator for Downtown Delaware. “We’re confident that the properties and business owners taking part in Project Pop-Up 2013 will find that same spirit of partnership in their new homes, and that this synergy will translate into success beyond the upcoming holiday season.”

Alan Levin, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office, said Project Pop-Up has become a vital tool in helping revitalize Delaware’s main streets.

“The strength of our economy relies on the health of our downtowns, and we’re banking on Project Pop-Up to once again stir growth and activity in these municipalities,” Levin said. “We are proud of these small business owners for taking the next step and moving into a storefront, which in turn helps us by bringing a vacant property to life.”