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Westborough EDC approves $5,000 business-assistance grants for salon and fitness studio
Summary
The Westborough Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to award $5,000 business-assistance grants to TM Beauty Salon at 276 Turnpike Road and Tribe Fitness at Bay State Commons, citing equipment and leasehold-improvement needs and roughly $12,000 left in the grant fund.
The Westborough Economic Development Committee on a unanimous roll call approved two $5,000 business-assistance grants to support local startups.
Tatiana Vicina, speaking on behalf of her daughter Maria, asked the committee for $5,000 to purchase scalp-therapy equipment and a massage bed for TM Beauty Salon at 276 Turnpike Road. "I represent Maria... I am a hairdresser," Vicina said, describing a service niche for scalp treatments and saying the salon already employs four people.
Naveed Sharifie, founder and co-owner of Tribe Fitness at Bay State Commons, asked for $5,000 to offset leasehold and plumbing-related build-out costs, including showers and a recovery room. "This grant would go a long way towards helping what ended up being a worthwhile investment," Sharifie said, noting construction and utility costs exceeded original budgets.
The committee discussed the intended uses — equipment purchases for TM Beauty and infrastructure/leasehold improvements for Tribe Fitness — and confirmed there was not a fully itemized equipment list in the packet. The chair noted the EDC had about $12,000 remaining in its business-assistance fund at the time of the meeting.
Motions to award $5,000 to each business passed on roll-call votes. The clerk recorded the following votes for each grant as "yes": Bagden; Chapman; Coker; Jen Gris; Leonardo; Carol. The grants will be disbursed according to the EDC's existing grant process and any required documentation from recipients.
The committee indicated staff would follow up on disbursement logistics and recordkeeping. No conditions or amendments to the awards were recorded in the meeting minutes.
