Goldfinch Tap + Eatery wins state grant for expansion

MARION — An Uptown Marion restaurant has received a state grant to help fund plans for growth.

Goldfinch Tap + Eatery was awarded the $10,000 grant after owners John and Taylor Lillibridge pitched their idea to a panel of judges for Main Street Iowa’s Open 4 Business contest in Cedar Rapids on Aug. 5.

The couple finished as a runner-up in the contest, ahead of two other competitors, where the grand prize was $20,000.

The eatery, opened in 2019, serves about 90 percent of its modern American fare from scratch. The owners plan to use the grant funds to support continued expansion by adding new catering equipment that would allow the restaurant to book larger weddings, fundraisers and corporate events across a broader service area.

The Lillibridges started working as a general manager and special events coordinator for the restaurant in 2020, when they relocated to John’s native Cedar Rapids. The couple purchased Goldfinch three years later.

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Grants are administered through the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa programs.

Open 4 Business supports growth of small businesses in more than 50 Main Street Iowa communities. The program has awarded funding to over 45 businesses in the last decade.

Goldfinch Tap + Eatery won a grant along with four other competitors, totaling $50,000:

“Everyone deserves to go home a winner tonight,” said Debi Durham, director of the IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority. “These incredible business plans reaffirm the importance of our Main Street programs, which serve as a conduit for small business growth and retention and play a crucial role in making our communities places where people want to visit and live.”

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.