Port Colborne Mexican restaurant gets $10,000 in business booster

A Port Colborne Mexican restaurant has picked up a $10,000 grant through a federal program that boosts area businesses.

Eh Amigos Cantina (20 Clarence St) will collect the funds after applying to the My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program.

Jesse MacDonald from Eh Amigos Cantina was pretty happy with the windfall. “We are happy to have been able to participate in and receive the My Main Street funding. It has provided a unique opportunity for us to go above and beyond for both our customers and our employees.”

Interestingly enough, the research done on the area by My Main Street learned that diners in the Eh Amigos Cantina catchment area are spending 16 percent more on restaurants than the rest of Port Colborne residents.

“Post-Covid activities indicate that 54 percent of residents are looking forward to going to restaurants, specifically for dine-in experiences and family dining,” said the research.

“Based on this and other data, the owners of Eh Amigos decided that their primary goals should be providing an excellent customer experience and focusing their non-repayable Main Street funding on lease hold improvements.”

Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey said the program was key in helping his local businesses not only survive but also thrive.

“Small businesses in Port Colborne play a vital role in the success of our local economy,” the MP said. “Through My Main Street, our government, in collaboration with EDCO and CUI is committed to helping communities bring their main streets back to life by supporting businesses that will reanimate our neighbourhoods, creating jobs and driving economic growth for local economies.”

Bram Cotton, Port Colborne’s Economic Development Officer, welcomed the outside assist for a local restaurant.

“Eh Amigos Cantina has been the Tex-Mex dining experience in our city for over 10 years. We were pleased to learn that you had applied to the Main Street Local Business Accelerator program, and now we are excited to find out that you are a recipient of a non-repayable contribution of $10,000 to support your business.”