Motor City Match awards $500K of grant money to small Detroit businesses

It's party time in "The D" as Motor City Match announces its second round of small business projects to share $500,000 in grant money.

Among the celebration and applause, reality TV Star Keasha Rigsby and her business partner Vallery Hyduk..

"It's been a long-term dream of mine to open a bridal boutique," said Keasha Rigsby of Beautiful Bridal LLC.

The business partners received $50,000 in grant money to help with their business *Beautiful Bridal LLC* which will open next month on East Jefferson in Detroit.

"We had a gap and Motor City Match and the mayor's office came through and closed gap," said Vallery. "And the gap was we needed gowns."

Motor City Match is the glue that connects new and expanding businesses with real estate opportunities in Detroit and provides them funding to make their business projects a reality.

"About one-third of 300 applicants make some level of support," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. "And the 10 that are ready to open right now end up with cash to match their cash to open business."

Detroit Sip, a coffee house which will offer Detroit-produced coffee, tea and other hometown products scooped up a $35,000 grant and will open near U of D Mercy and Marygrove College.

"I didn't have coffee shop experience, when I  was growing up. I went away to school and that's where I studied," said Jevona Watson. "I want to bring that experience back home."

These grant winners say the funding they received from Motor City Match is an economic boost for them that will allow them to be an economic boost for the City of Detroit.

This reality star says she is so excited about having her bridal boutique in Detroit. She wants season two of her show to be filmed in the city.

"I don't want any bride going anywhere else," Keasha said. "I don't want them going to suburbs."

If you want to learn more about Motor City Match by CLICKING HERE.