Sent: Monday, 14 September 2026 10:31:55
To: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>; James L. Bolden, Jr. <jbcarpet2@aol.com>; Stephanie Moran <stephanie.moran@topekapartnership.com>; Stephanie Norwood <stephanie.norwood@topekapartnership.com>
Cc: sduncan@topeka.org <sduncan@topeka.org>; dbanks8487@yahoo.com <dbanks8487@yahoo.com>; Robert M. Perez <rmperez@topeka.org>
Subject: RE: Subject: Ready project — JB Carpet & Upholstery (James Bolden Jr.) / 10% funds
Hi Henry,
Thanks for reaching out on behalf of Mr. Bolden. Hi James, I hope you’re doing well!
Since James utilized our Entrepreneurial Support grant through the Economic Mobility program in 2025, he would not qualify to reapply for those funds.
Some of this equipment may be a fit for our traditional Small Business Incentive Program. I’m copying Stephanie Moran and Stephanie Norwood, who can reach out to share more information about the program, discuss the equipment you’re considering, and help determine what may be eligible.
Topeka & Shawnee County Small Business Incentives Program - Go Topeka
Appreciate your help getting us connected.
Thank you,
From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2026 2:02 PM
To: Rhiannon Friedman <rhiannon.friedman@topekapartnership.com>; James L. Bolden, Jr. <jbcarpet2@aol.com>
Cc: sduncan@topeka.org; dbanks8487@yahoo.com; Robert M. Perez <rmperez@topeka.org>
Subject: Subject: Ready project — JB Carpet & Upholstery (James Bolden Jr.) / 10% funds
To: Rhiannon Friedman
Dear Rhiannon,
I hope you’re well. I’m writing with a concrete file, not a complaint.
James Bolden Jr. owns JB Carpet & Upholstery at 4128 SE Ridgeview Terrace here in Topeka. He is a local operator and a man of color. He needs a proper plant to grow the business: a 2021-or-newer Chevy/GMC cargo van and a HydraMaster CDS 4.8 SV truck mount built for that chassis.
Aramsco / Interlink already quoted the mount, HydraCradle 125-gallon tank and reels, shelving, hardware, and store install (quote S7896755). Equipment and install come to about $44,000 before a refreshed tax line. A suitable 2021+ Express/Savana 2500 with the 4.3L V6 is in the $20,000–$25,000 range locally. All-in we are looking at roughly $70,000–$80,000. Nothing has been purchased. We know your programs require pre-approval.
I was at the September 9 JEDO meeting and took your comments in the spirit they were given. You said the hard part is getting the 10% funds into the community, that the redevelopment line has been the slowest because the commitments are larger and projects have to be ready, and that the 50% match often waits on the applicant’s bank. James is the kind of operator those funds were written for. If we can line up his half — loan, savings, or equipment finance — this is a project that can move instead of sitting in a pipeline.
I am not asking you to force a van into a building program. I am asking which bucket this belongs in before anyone spends a dollar:
- Whether the truck mount, tank, reels, and install labor can be considered under Small Business Incentive Equipment (and what the cap would be at his employee count).
- Whether any Economic Mobility / 10% interpretation can help a minority-owned service business put a mobile plant on the road in Shawnee County.
- What documents you want first — quote, van buyer’s order, ownership, proof of the match — so staff are not chasing a half-ready file.
James would like to come in and meet with you, or with the people on your team who handle this kind of file. I will help him assemble whatever you need so the meeting is useful. If this is not a fit, a straight answer lets him finance it privately and we will not waste your committee’s time.
Thank you for looking. He is ready when you can see him.
Respectfully,
Henry McClure
MCRE, LLC
3625 SW 29th Street #100
Topeka, KS 66614
785-383-9994
mcre13@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment