Township Bowl Receives FHLBank Chicago Accelerate Grant
From left to right are: Lonny Shore, Hedy Shore and Brian Banker.
Township Bowl in Hillsboro, Wisconsin was awarded a $25,000 grant through their partnership with Royal Bank on behalf of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s (FHLBank Chicago) Community First® Accelerate Grants for Small Business (Accelerate Grants).
Township Bowl is a bowling alley, bar and restaurant that’s been serving the Hillsboro area for over 70 years. Current owners, Lonny and Hedy Shore, purchased the business in 2022 and have been working to update bowling lanes, expand the kitchen and make necessary repairs to the building while maintaining the nostalgic feel.
Heavy rains fell in the area causing extensive damage to the building’s aging roof. The damage resulted in water entering the building and required immediate action to fix the roof and repair interior damage. This unexpected expense was a shock to the new business owners and a significant setback to their goal of growing their business.
Through their partnership with Royal Bank, the Shore’s worked with their loan officer, Brian Banker, to apply for grant funds to help cover costs incurred from these unanticipated events. “Our tagline is Your Community Partner and we truly believe in supporting and investing in the communities we serve,” said Banker. “We know that what we invest here will be circulated to help keep our community strong and connected. We’re thrilled to partner with FHLBank Chicago in this program to help sustain our local economies long into the future.”
“We are so thankful for our partnership with Royal Bank to help cover these unexpected costs,” said Lonny Shore, co-owner of Township Bowl. “Thank you only begins to scratch the surface of the appreciation that’s felt. This grant has allowed us to continue focusing energies on improving our business and serving the community.”
Royal Bank has a strong history of working with FHLBank Chicago by offering fixed-rate home loan lending using the FHLBank Chicago’s Mortgage Partnership Finance® (MPF®) Program. The mission of FHLBank Chicago is to partner with members in Illinois and Wisconsin to provide them competitively priced funding, a reasonable rate on their investment, and support for community investment activities. The Accelerate Grant funds are intended to assist the growth and development of small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin, creating economic opportunity in the communities that FHLBank Chicago members serve.
