ROCHELLE — The City of Rochelle presented a $4,138 check Thursday to Pickin Station Owners Pam Easton and Stan Bennett as part of its facade grant program. 

The program covers half the cost of any improvements made to business fronts in town. The antique shop is the most recent recipient. Improvements included putting a canopy over the business’s front door. 

“It's helped us a lot,” Easton said of the grant. “Of course we've got the overhang now over the sidewalk so people can get out of the elements. I think it just makes our place look a little bit nicer, having the brick and stuff around it. We could have never done this without the city helping us. And we really do appreciate it so much."

Easton said Pickin Station’s business has grown and gotten busier since opening early last year. She called it “awesome” to have city officials at the shop Thursday to celebrate the grant.  

Pickin Station was unable to hold a grand opening last year due to pandemic and being too busy with business operations like flea markets. 

“We might be able to do that now this year,” Easton said. “Things look better now and it's so much prettier. It just makes it look different.”

City Community Development Director Michelle Pease said the city budgeted $30,000 this year for facade grant improvements for businesses. $15,000 is allocated for the downtown area and $15,000 is slated for the rest of town. 

The community development department has two other facade grant improvements planned for the downtown that have been approved for the rest of the year and another outside of the downtown. 

“There will be two more outside of the downtown area to approve,” Pease said. “The really cool thing for us is to be able to help these businesses improve those facades and beautify our downtown and outside of the downtown. It's nice curb appeal. It's just working on getting the community to be more and more vibrant and beautiful. This program really helps with that."

Pease called it “awesome” to drive through town and see the improvements businesses have made. 

“It's really nice to see the work that’s been done and it's nice to be able to help a business get to that next step,” Pease said.