Full House Realty receives improvement grant

Full House Realty in Shawano has received a Shawano Country Vision 2017 interior improvement grant totaling $5,000.

The grant was awarded to owner Jenny Ballwahn to help cover costs to renovate a vacant commercial building at 204 S. Main St. in downtown Shawano. Renovations included new flooring, lighting, ceiling tiles, paint and electrical.

“The building was in need of lots of love. Anything that I thought might last a couple of years needed replacing right away,” Ballwahn said.

Ballwahn operated her real estate brokerage out of her home since 2007 before recently moving into the new office. The new store-front location will give her more visibility.

“Having an office on Main Street to meet with buyers and sellers is already giving us a lot more exposure and helping us grow even more,” Ballwahn said. “The Vision 2017 grant program is an excellent resource for small business owners. I am so appreciative for the leaders in our community who had the vision to make this program available.”

According to Dennis Heling, chief economic development officer for Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., one of the goals of Shawano Country Vision 2017 is to assist business owners in renovating and occupying vacant commercial space.

“This project is a positive move not only for Jenny, but also for the community,” he said. “This building has been renovated and is now occupied. That will contribute to the vitality of downtown and to the tax base.”

The move from a home-based business to a commercial office setting helped Ballwahn convert to full-time with her realty company.

“It’s always rewarding to be able to help a business owner fulfill their dream of making that leap into full-time,” said Nancy Smith, executive director of the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce. “Jenny has worked very hard to make that happen.”