Grant & Loan Awards: Grady County
Grady County
ESB Fund: $112,500
Awarded: 10/11/2024
Applicant: United National Bank (Gilliard's Store, LLC)
Description:
ESB loan guarantee to purchase Gilliard's Store, LLC, a start up country meats & small grocery store located in Pelham, GA. The store's origin began in 1945 by Marion & Thelma Gilliard. "Miz Gilliard" would open the store each morning by 6:00 am providing breakfast to her five children and others that would stop by. In the early years, the store was a full service grocery store with pork, beef, produce, groceries, hardware, clothes, fish and gas. As the community's needs changed so did the Gilliard's Store, and sausage became the primary draw for customers. In 1995, Mr. and Mrs. Gilliard (now Grandpa and Grandma Gilliard) decided to retire. Unable to let the store sit idle, Kermit Gilliard and Dinah Gilliard Bond decided to reopen the store fulltime in February 2007. United National Bank in Cairo is the lender.
Total Budgeted Project Cost: $359,000