Quietly operating from a small space on South Barksdale, Camy Archer had been serving a loyal Midtown and Downtown clientele tasty sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts for the past 23 years. However, after her lease was set to expire, Ms. Archer found herself without a location. Ms. Archer quickly reestablished Camy’s in a small 800-square-foot commercial kitchen space at 2886 Walnut Grove, just a few miles east of the old location. The new location would enable Ms. Archer to continue serving her existing clientele along with expanding into the more eastern areas of Memphis.
Although the new space was equipped with a commercial kitchen, the building needed several interior upgrades and exterior improvements in order to accommodate Ms. Archer’s requirements. Through working with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, Ms. Archer was introduced to EDGE’s ICED Loan Program through which she was awarded a $25,000 ICED loan to assist with façade and interior improvements. The EDGE ICED Loan program’s purpose is to spark the revitalization of Memphis’s inner-city neighborhood business districts through small forgivable loans to assist with building improvements and business expansion. Financial assistance through the ICED Loan Program enabled Ms. Archer to address the necessary façade and interior improvements. Through EDGE’s assistance, Ms. Archer was able to retain all 16 employees while creating seven new jobs.