10/02/2026
Lots of our customers and vendors have met our customers Tracy and Steve Reynolds from Millport, AL. Thought I would share their good fortune with you.
2026 Business Members Grant Winner
The South Lamar Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce The Golden Oldie as the recipient of our 2026 Business Members Grant!
This year, we received four applications representing some exciting investments in the future of our community. Three applications came from existing businesses seeking to make improvements, while another proposed the renovation of a vacant commercial property with the hope of eventually bringing a new business to our area.
With four strong projects to consider, selecting one recipient was not easy. Applications were reviewed by a seven-member panel, with reviewers considering each business, the proposed project, its potential impact, and the overall purpose of the grant. In fact, the scoring remained extremely close between two applicants throughout much of the review process.
After all scores were finalized, we had one recipient: The Golden Oldie!
The Golden Oldie occupies one of downtown Millport’s oldest buildings, and its grant project will make significant improvements to the property. Plans include replacing windows on both the upper and lower levels, improvements to the building’s entrance, and exterior painting and façade improvements designed to complement and preserve the character of this historic property.
This is why the Business Members Grant was created. In a small community like ours, every local business matters. We want the businesses that have chosen Millport and Kennedy to have every opportunity to stay here, grow here, and continue serving our communities. If the Chamber can play even a small part in helping a local business make an improvement, overcome an obstacle, or invest in its future, then this grant is doing exactly what we hoped it would do. Seeing these investments being made in our local businesses and knowing that we can help make some of them possible is incredibly rewarding. When our businesses succeed, our entire community is stronger.
We also want to sincerely thank our other three applicants. Not being selected this year does not diminish the quality of the projects that were submitted. We hope each of you will consider applying again during our next grant cycle.
Finally, thank you to everyone who participated in the review process and helped make this year’s grant possible. Having four applications and such a competitive selection process is a wonderful sign of the continued investment happening within our local business community.
Congratulations to The Golden Oldie, our 2026 Business Members Grant recipient!
