A Metro Detroit restaurant owner said the federal funding his business was approved for has now fallen through.
Bobcat Bonnie’s owner Matt Buskard was excited to have his five restaurant locations approved for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
“We got an award letter saying ‘Congratulations, your award is on the way. Spend it according to these terms’ and it was very exciting,” Buskard said.
However, the U.S. Small Business Association said there were issues and that it wouldn’t be a problem.
“We were all told that there was a funding delay, we know of the issue, don’t worry. Rest assured your funds are yours and on the way,” Buskard said.
Buskard started making plans for the expected funds on the way.
“We started hiring people. We fixed an air conditioning unit,” he said.
All of those plans have now placed the franchise in a weird place. Buskard wants to bring awareness to the situation as there are thousands of other companies across the nation going through the same thing.
“It’s not just affecting Bobcat Bonnie’s. It is a program that almost every small restaurant and bar applied for,” he said.
Local 4 reached out to the Small Business Administration about the miscommunication but have not yet received a response.
Buskard is hoping for congress can take another look at this program to fix the issues.
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