Shawana Fitz Brown seeks $75,000 from EDA to open Country Sisters Cafe

Shawana Fitz Brown, presenting with partner Yvonne Williams, asked the Grayson County Economic Development Authority for $75,000 in a mix of grants and/or a low-interest loan to open Country Sisters Cafe and renovate its chosen space.

"We are asking for a grant or a low interest loan towards helping us with opening our restaurant, Country Sisters," Fitz Brown said, describing plans to provide home-style meals, student discounts and first-responder discounts and saying, "no child will be turned down a meal." She told the board the business has formed an LLC, secured necessary licenses and is working with Crossroads on a business plan.

Board members asked operational questions about hours, staffing and timeline. Fitz Brown said she planned to open for lunch and dinner initially, with hours around 11 a.m. to about 8:30 p.m., and that the business could expand to serve breakfast later. She said family members will help run the operation but that she also intends to hire community members, estimating a need for roughly 14–15 employees across shifts based on her business planner’s guidance.

When asked what an August opening would require, Fitz Brown replied that the $75,000 would cover renovation, equipment such as fryers and coolers, a point-of-sale/register system and basic advertising; she said the cafe could open in August if funding were available. The EDA thanked the presenters and said members would discuss the request and follow up; no loan or grant decision was made at the meeting.

What happens next: the EDA will review the request and return to the entrepreneurs with next steps; staff signaled they will follow up with additional review and possible inclusion on a future agenda.