Courtesy photo
Wave Staff Report
INGLEWOOD — U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters was on hand recently for the opening of The Level Up Store at 1409 Centinela Ave. Waters was one of the speakers at a pre-ribbon-cutting press conference for the store’s opening.
As store owner Ron Gibson tells it, the store wouldn’t have opened without the assistance of Waters.
gets the job done by showing an example of her Community Project Funding Grant for technical assistance and access to capital to micro and small businesses yielding major success in the community.
“I was sitting on the curb in front of the Level Up store when I saw a car make a U-turn and stop in front of me,” Gibson said. “It was Congresswoman Maxine Water who wanted to introduce herself to me.
“By the end of the conversation, she understood I needed working capital but could not get approved for a loan,” Gibson added. “It was then she said Macedonia Community Development Corporation will help you and here I am, buying the inventory I need.”
When Gibson started planning to open Level Up — a clothing store specializing in cutting edge brand and off-brand clothing for hip culture — in 2023, he had his savings, a secured $3,000 credit card, but no line of credit. He was declined a small business loan by several banks.
After meeting with Macedonia Community Development Corporation, Gibson was able to secure a loan from Mission Valley Bank to finish the remodel of his brick and mortar store and fill it with inventory.
“Ron is my star,” Waters said at the grand opening. “He did what he had to do to get his first bank loan.”
Alejandro Guerrero, Macedonia Community Development Corporation executive director, said, “We believe we can provide advanced solutions that help businesses and individuals succeed in today’s ever-changing world. Our solutions are designed to make life easier, more efficient and more productive.”
The Macedonia Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit organization based in Watts. It provides one-on-one technical assistance to prepare micro and small businesses in South Los Angeles to receive access to capital to grow their businesses.
Waters helped the nonprofit get off the ground in 2015, working with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Community Planning and Development, Congressional Grants Division to obtain a million-dollar, multi-year grant to launch Macedonia.
“Businesses like The Level Up Store are great reminders of why California is committed to investing in entrepreneurs,” said Tara Lynn Gray, director of the California Office of Small Business Advocate, who also attended the grand opening. “When small businesses have the resources they need to grow, they create jobs, build wealth and strengthen our communities. California remains focused on closing gaps and removing barriers so that every small business owner can reach their full economic potential.”
