Downtown Development Board OKs $15,000 for Clearwater Closet Pop‑Up Series

The City of Clearwater Downtown Development Board unanimously approved a community event grant on May 12 to support Clearwater Closet’s six-month pop-up vendor market, with staff recommending a grant not to exceed $15,000.

Anne Lopez, CRA assistant director, presented the item and said the six-event pilot would begin June 28 and be free and open to the public. The total budget for the six events is $22,500; Clearwater Closet’s owner, Austin Summer, requested $17,700 but told the board he can scale programming if the board awards the smaller staff-recommended grant.

“This funding would help us not just put on events, but to put on events that have a different level through, you know, just being able to to pay people who are volunteering,” Summer said. He described recruitment of local vendors and musical acts and confirmed partnerships already in place with Restoration Cafe.

Board members praised Summer’s entrepreneurship and encouraged the event operator to measure attendance and economic impact to support future requests. The board approved the staff recommendation unanimously.

What the board approved: A special event grant for a six-month pop-up series featuring local vendors and live music, with an approved grant amount not to exceed $15,000, and direction that staff and the grantee track attendance and other measures of success.

Context and next steps: Board members and staff asked the operator to plan evaluation metrics (attendance, capture of new visitors to downtown) so the board can assess the event’s contribution to downtown activation if grant requests return in future budget years.