A popular downtown business, the Cheese Corner was bought by the Vernon Area Rehabilitation Center, an organization dedicated to serving individuals with varying abilities through programs including job training and employment opportunities.

For Crystal Priebe, owning a candy store was a dream come true. For several years, she had been making hand-dipped chocolates and selling them at Valley Fish and Cheese, her family’s store in Prairie du Chien.

Thanks to her initiative and networking, Loreen uncorked a new way to stay engaged with her loyal customer base during the pandemic through virtual wine tastings.

For these tattoo shop owners, the pandemic gave them the opportunity to embrace changes and make improvements that would better their business.

A strong Wisconsin support system and recycled wine bottles helped Sascha pivot from wholesale to retail sales for her gourmet oils and vinegars business.

When the owners of Upland Cheese pivoted from wholesale orders to online retail orders, they realized their extra work also benefited the greater community.

Chrishella, owner of Vibez Creative Arts Space, had to get creative during the pandemic when it came to finding an alternative to her in-person art sessions.

German “Carlos” Vasquez Hernandez and his wife, Carolina Martinez, knew it would be a challenge to keep their two southwest Wisconsin Los Amigos Mexican restaurants operating when the pandemic hit—just months after one of the restaurants had moved to a bigger, remodeled location.

For this family-owned trucking company, WEDC grant funding led to a loan that supported their greater mission of creating jobs for Milwaukee’s Black community.