Local T-shirt shop spruces up with MainStreet grant

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

Travis Killough, owner and operator of Special Tees in Grants, fastens a sign to his building on Santa Fe Ave that designates it part of the Grants MainStreet Restoration Project. (Photo by Jerry Wilson/Independent)

GRANTS — Despite the recent resignation of Executive Director Carmin Morin, MainStreet projects are continuing, Chelci Huntsaker, MainStreet event coordinator said.

A $1,000 grant for the exterior revitalization project at Special Tees is proof of that.

Construction workers are placing ground-to-roof columns on the front of the business, at 208 W. Santa Fe Ave., and will be stuccoing the building and those columns, Travis Killough, Special Tees owner said.

The front single-pane inefficient windows have been replaced by modern double-paned ones and the all solid doors are being replaced by all glass retail type doors, to make the business more customer friendly, Killough said.

Killough applied for a revitalization grant in May of 2004 and received approval in June. The money used for the revitalization of businesses comes directly from the annual Fire & Ice Bike Rally event, sponsored by MainStreet every July.

A streetscape program will take its next step Feb. 1 when a group of volunteers will arrive in town to help with the plans to add trees, benches and help make Santa Fe Avenue more pedestrian friendly, Huntsaker said.

Killough said after receiving the grant, he did lots of research and found ways to be more cost-efficient; then finding a contractor took additional time, and that is why the improvements are being done now, seven months later.

A second event will occur Feb. 1 as well, and that is the 10th anniversary of Killough's business.

"I was told the business wouldn't last," he said. Special Tees does screen printing, embroidery, awards and advertising specialties.

Killough found out about the revitalization program and grants when he was working with MainStreet during the past two years creating and producing the T-shirts for the Fire & Ice Bike Rally, he said.

"So, I applied," he said.

Huntsaker said not many local businesses have taken advantage of the program and are invited to make an application with MainStreet.

The revitalization program and grants are intended to help change the appearance of downtown Grants so that it is more attractive to motorists and tourists driving through.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin@blackmesa-isp.net.