When Mary Martinez gazed around her Amarillo restaurant, La Frontera, she could easily spot a few areas in need of improvement. After all, she's been the proud owner of the iconic establishment for nearly 40 years. But what started as a simple desire for a fresh coat of paint soon transformed into a complete revitalization, thanks to the City of Amarillo's Business Improvement Grant Program (BIG Program).
"I knew the building needed some paint," Martinez said. "But it became much more than that."
La Frontera, which has been serving generations of customers since 1985, is housed in a nearly century-old building that was once a neighborhood grocery store. While the restaurant's long history is a point of pride for Martinez, she knew the time had come for significant improvements to both the building's exterior and its functionality.
To her surprise, the City of Amarillo’s BIG Program provided the perfect opportunity to bring her vision to life. The program, designed to help property owners in the Barrio, Eastridge, North Heights, and San Jacinto neighborhoods make exterior upgrades, offers matching grants of up to 50 percent of total project costs. For projects totaling $40,000 or more, businesses can receive a maximum match of $20,000.
Martinez applied and qualified for $39,895 in funding, which covered half of the total project cost. She was able to move forward with a complete overhaul without having to shoulder the full financial burden herself.
"I could not have done this entire project without the help of this program," Martinez said. "Knowing that the BIG Program was covering half of the cost made it much easier to get a loan. If you own a small business, things tend to get away from you sometimes. You tend to put things on the backburner. I was able to get many things done all at once instead of one thing at a time."
The improvements to La Frontera are hard to miss. The restaurant now boasts:
A newly installed front door
Fresh exterior paint
Renovated awnings
Enhanced hand railings at the entrance for special needs customers
Expanded outdoor security lighting in both the front and back
Updated paint around the windows
"The new outdoor lighting is great, and it also makes it better for my customers as far as parking," Martinez said. "Security is much better."
As a result, the 40-year-old restaurant looks better than ever—and it's not just the exterior that's benefiting from the upgrades. The enhanced security and accessibility improvements have made La Frontera more welcoming and safer for both customers and employees.
"The building has not looked this good … well, ever," Martinez added. "And I have been here 40 years."
City of Amarillo Assistant Director of Planning, Drew Brassfield, praised the BIG Program for its positive impact on local businesses, particularly in underserved neighborhoods.
"The BIG Program is a tremendous asset for business owners in the Barrio, Eastridge, North Heights, and San Jacinto neighborhoods," Brassfield said. "La Frontera is a perfect example of what the goal of the BIG Program is—helping business owners improve their properties and create a better environment for their customers."
Martinez is thrilled with the results and encourages other business owners to take advantage of the program.
"This was a fabulous idea and the best deal ever," she said. "I highly recommend it."
The current round of applications for the BIG Program is open until Friday. Business owners in eligible neighborhoods are encouraged to apply for grants to help fund their exterior improvements.
