Starting Tuesday, Harris County is offering low-interest loans from the $17 million Harris County Opportunity Fund to support small businesses.

Local mom Brittany Franklin knew she wanted to upgrade her home, but instead of moving into a new place, she and her husband decided to focus on making their current home work better for them. So they upgraded virtually every room in their home with brand new, custom-made furniture from Living Designs Furniture -- a local, family-owned company where quality, locally-sourced materials and excellent craftsmanship are what keep customers coming back.

Since 2020, Comcast RISE has awarded more than $125 million in monetary, marketing and technology grants to 13,500 businesses. Could your small business be next? Watch the full interview to learn more about the program, who is eligible and how you can apply.

A one-of-a-kind shopping event where you can buy items from fashion to home decor not available in retail and other markets.

It’s been called the nation’s largest monthly gathering of black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

It all comes at you so quickly: One minute, you’re making grocery lists and setting the menu for Thanksgiving, and then, in the blink of an eye, the holiday has arrived, only to be followed by Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday -- and then your tree goes up and Christmas morning is here.

If you’ve been watching Houston Life for some time now, you know all about our monthly series, ‘HL OBSESSONS.’

A new year is a great time to think about updating the furniture in your space.

Deputies from the Harris County Precinct 4′s Office are investigating after they said a group of thieves broke into several small businesses in the Spring area over the weekend.

If you’ve been watching Houston Life for some time now, you know all about our monthly series, ‘HL OBSESSONS.’

Fort Bend County Judge KP George announced the recipients for the second round of Comcast RISE Investment Fund $10,000 grants for small businesses owned by people of color in the Houston area.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will announce the start of the Harris County Small Business Relief Fund Application period on Monday. The application window will remain open until Monday, October 4 at 5:30 p.m.

When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened Michelle Varnes’ career, she decided to take a leap of faith and start her own business.

A Houston restaurant owner is upset after someone broke into his business earlier this week.

HOUSTON – This next story is the motivation we all need for our next adventure. Houstonian Mark Linen shows us it’s truly never too late to follow your dreams. Linen is a former truck driver and it was a great job that helped pay the bills. But, wanting more from life and more for his family, he turned to his passion of baking, and founded Brotha Bakes. HOUSTON LIFE SPECIAL

HOUSTON – When the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo was canceled in 2020, many businesses worried they would not make it. This year has proven to be another hurdle for rodeo vendors. “At the time, it was called Houston Rodeo Vendors 2020,” Adams. It’s since grown and now called “Texas Festival Vendors” on Facebook, an online page where vendors can share their products. For more information, visit the Texas Festival Vendors Facebook group.

HOUSTON – A luxury clothing boutique made a big, pink splashdown in Houston. After nearly a decade of selling clothing online, owner Kemetria Lilly opened her first storefront, Lilly’s Kloset, at 9000 Hempstead Road. Dozens of customers lined up outside of Lilly’s Kloset Saturday afternoon for a chance to enter the whimsical shopping experience. Lilly’s Kloset, known for dressing women for their most memorable moments, offers a range of fashion-forward clothing, shoes and accessories. “If you have a friend, and it’s her birthday, and you want to grab her something really nice, you can come here to Lilly’s Kloset,” Lilly said.

AUSTIN, Texas – With new cases of the coronavirus and hospitalizations spiking in Texas as winter approaches, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday launched a program to provide small businesses with rapid tests for their employees. Abbott said the Texas Division of Emergency Management will give local chambers of commerce testing supplies that will be allocated to participating businesses. On Monday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 8,712 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 33 new deaths. The researchers said one in every 294 people in Texas tested positive in the past week.

HOUSTON – The Houston City Council approved $10 million in additional funding for the Small Business Economic Relief Program. The money will come from the CARES Act 2020 funds and will bring the total money set aside for the program to $35 million. The program provides grant assistance to small businesses and chambers of commerce that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum amount a business or chamber can receive from the SBERP is $50,000, according to the city. This component is meant to ensure businesses that receive grant funds have a higher likelihood of surviving the pandemic.

CYPRESS – Small business owners across the Houston area are preparing for Small Business Saturday. At establishments like the Little Eclectic House in Cypress, owners are preparing for customers the day after the big box stores had their turn on Black Friday. He refers to Small Business Saturday as “make-or-break” for a lot of establishments. “When you support a small business, you support your community,” said customer Fabian Vargas. “You’re really giving money back to where you’re from, where you’re living, where you’re at.”

In an effort to assist Black and Latinx small businesses, Grow with Google is introducing its Digital Coaches Program in Houston. According to Google, the Digital Coaches Program provides free digital skills training and coaching to help Black and Latinx small businesses reach new customers, thrive online, and grow. The program will kick-off Friday with its first virtual workshop – Connect with Customers and Manage Your Business Remotely – for Houstonians. Other workshops include Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps, Reach Customers Online with Google and Digital Skills for Everyday Tasks. Click here to register for the upcoming virtual workshops.

“Finn Hall Feeds the Frontlines” is an innovative campaign that feeds local healthcare heroes while supporting local food entrepreneurs inside Finn Hall, a premiere food hall located on the ground level of the historic JPMorgan Chase art deco building at 712 Main. In less than 24 hours, JPMorgan Chase pledged $20,000 to sustain the matching program. In addition to its cash commitment, JPMorgan Chase host workshops at Finn Hall to assist restaurant operators in managing finances for their business and personal needs. We’re proud neighbors with Finn Hall and its diverse array of culinary entrepreneurs,” said Kristen Habich, Houston Market Leader for JPMorgan Chase. Harris Health is so appreciative of Finn Hall and JPMorgan Chase for providing meals for our staff at both Ben Taub and LBJ hospitals.

HOUSTON Rapper Bun B has partnered with Trill Taco in Missouri City. Known as the Trill OG, Bernard Freeman, who is one half of the southern rap duo UGK, is selling limited edition t-shirts in collaboration with the restaurant. Trill Taco celebrates rap culture by naming its menu of tacos, quesadillas, burritos and nachos after legends like Travis Scott, Fat Pat and Megan the Stallion. The merch drop also coincides with Bernard Bun B Freeman Day, which is August 30 in Houston. While signing shirts at Trill Taco on Saturday, he shared his thoughts on the Texans and the Rockets.

If you want to feel a little less guilty about indulging in your sweet tooth, why not order from a local small business?

RICHMOND, Texas – Fort Bend County Judge KP George announced Friday that he is launching a program to help small businesses struggling through the coronavirus pandemic. According to a news release, the $22 million Small Business Emergency Grant Program will “address the financial hardships our small businesses have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic” using funds available through the federal CARES Act. The grants will be available to eligible small businesses in the amount of up to $10,000 per business, according to the release. “With the cruises closing down, air travel terrible, Disney’s not open, national parks aren’t open, it’s been no business, no opportunity,” said Wayne Chandler with Fort Bend Travel. “We will continue to make sure you are an important part of our economy and you’re an important part, we care about you,” said Fort Bend County Judge KP George.

As Texas begins Phase 1 of reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic, many restaurants and businesses are scrambling to figure out how to execute it. While many restaurants are excited for the reopening, with most saying they “missed their patronage”, others are still skeptical about the 25 percent capacity that Gov. As dine-in reopens, restaurants are still taking curbside, delivery and take-out orders for those who prefer. Here’s a list of 10 restaurants opening this Friday outlining the safety precautions they are taking for dine-in customers:The New York Deli & Coffee ShopAddress: 9724 Hillcroft, HoustonHello Bagel Shop Family! We are taking reservation by... Posted by Café Poêtes on Tuesday, April 28, 2020Dandelion CafeAddress: 5405 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire

HOUSTON – Founded in 1983, Cavatore Italian Restaurant is a family business with deep roots in the Heights neighborhood. However, the restaurant received a tip this week the owner said they would never forget. "When this all started a few weeks back, we all expected this to end in two weeks," said Federico Cavatore, the owner of Cavatore Italian Restaurant. Three years ago, Cavatore started a farmer's market on the restaurant property, inviting dozens of local and small vendors to sell their goods. "It's a much safer environment to shop in," another small business owner said.

KATY, Texas – Alicia’s Mexican Grille, a family owned Tex-Mex restaurant, strives to serve delicious homemade dishes with a creative flair. They also serve super thin, almost see-through, flour tortillas that you won’t believe. What we love about Alicia’s is the emphasis on quality and the “touch-of-home” flavor that comes with every meal. The restaurant is also very cozy and beautifully decorated, with a ton of rich, dark, wood and a massive bar. We want to keep Alicia’s in business and you can help make that happen by bringing the Alicia’s crew your business the next time you want a fantastic Tex-Mex meal at home.

Wings 87 co-owners Rashid Minhas and Nyn Riffat said they are determined to be a voice for small businesses in the Greater Houston area. Wings 87 is a small local chicken shop on Alabama Street that opened six months ago before lawmakers began restricting travel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Community service is very close to our hearts,” Wings 87 co-owner Riffat said. From Day 1, Wings 87 has offered a 10% discount to neighbors, teachers, veterans and first responders, Minhas said. Fighting coronavirusThe owners of Wings 87 never anticipated the coronavirus pandemic.

As the pandemic began to impact the economy, small businesses in Texas, especially in the Houston-area took a deep hit. To find local restaurants in your area, check out this list here. Here are seven ways to support small businesses during this time of crisis. If it is on social media, don’t hesitate to “like” or “follow” its pages to get the latest updates, such as sales and specials. Encourage businesses to get publicityKPRC 2 is asking local businesses to fill out this form and will then be featured on our website to appear in this story showcasing several local businesses.

HOUSTON – Elizabeth Swift Copeland did something Wednesday she hasn’t done in over 30 years of owning a business—apply for a loan. “I just hope the government will act quickly and respond to my application for a loan,” said Swift Copeland. “We need money fast,” said Swift Copeland. “I mean for small business; timing is everything. He believes the federal government should mandate banks to delay payments to small businesses hurt by the coronavirus.

HOUSTON – In Texas, sales tax collected by businesses is due to the state every month on the 20th. Houston Jewelry has been in the area for generations, surviving hurricanes, recessions and other crisis. In disasters like Hurricane Harvey, the state has delayed sales tax payments for business owners like them as part of a disaster declaration. “We’re actually quite surprised that the comptroller, that this was not anticipated in the disaster declaration,” Houston Jewelry owner Rex Solomon said. Solomon will forgo his pay on Friday in order to pay the state more than $10,000 in sales tax and the employees.

The widow of Justin Dignam, one of the 34 people who died in the fire, has filed a lawsuit against the boat's owners, making it the first claim from one of the 34 victims' families. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa, File)LOS ANGELES, CA – The widow of a passenger who died in a fiery dive boat disaster that killed 34 people in the waters off California sued the vessel's owners Monday. Christine Dignam, whose husband, Justin Dignam, died when the Conception caught fire Sept. 2 off the Santa Barbara coast, claimed that the boat was unsafe. The lawsuit against Santa Barbara-based Truth Aquatics Inc. is the first from a relative of the victims who died. Dignam's case is a counterclaim to a lawsuit filed pre-emptively by the boat owners to protect them from liability under a quirk of pre-Civil War maritime law.

NEW YORK, NY – The market for small businesses cooled further during the third quarter as fallout from trade wars made companies look less appealing to buyers. That's the finding of a quarterly report analyzing small business sales released by BizBuySell.com, an online marketplace for companies. BizBuySell.com counted 2,454 small businesses sold during July-September, down 8.6% from 2,685 sold in the same period last year. Some owners who were considering selling are now holding off because they're concerned they may not get a good sales price for their companies. Some small business owners are reluctant to put their companies on the market, while others are thinking more seriously than in the past about what they need to do to make their companies more likely to sell.

NEW YORK, NY – Many small companies tied to the housing market are seeing a slowdown in business, one that's forecast to continue well into 2020. Reports on home sales, the home remodeling market and sales of furniture and home furnishings show the spreading fallout from rising prices for houses and apartments. While sales are up nearly 4% from a year ago, an increase due to falling mortgage rates, would-be buyers are being turned away by housing prices that keep rising. But with sales fluctuating, there's less remodeling going on and so contractors, many of whom are small businesses, are getting less work. The Commerce Department figures don't break out sales at small or independent retailers versus large chain stores.