Richmond Times-Dispatch

Flush from the passage of his $1.5 billion city budget earlier this week, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ focus was on the future during his address Thursday morning to the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking at the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church in Church Hill, where Patrick Henry gave his “liberty or death” speech in 1775, Jones, a Baptist preacher, outlined plans for overhauling public housing and education, redeveloping Shockoe Bottom and blighted housing in the city, improving access to the James River and showcasing Richmond during the upcoming UCI Road World Championship in 2015, among other initiatives.

“Richmond is a great city and you’ve heard a lot of enthusiasm today for the East End, but I find that everywhere I go. I find that people are interested and enthused about the city of Richmond,” Jones said. “People are excited about our past, but they’re more excited about our future. And they’re excited about the fact that we’re moving in the right direction.”

The city wants to draw more businesses, especially small retailers and a grocer, to the East End.

Peter H. Chapman, the city’s deputy chief administrative officer for economic and community development, said after the mayor’s speech that the city is still working to draw those companies to the East End, especially along North 25th Street and Nine Mile Road.

“The grocery efforts are ongoing, though we’ve had some challenges. One chain did a full evaluation and then passed,” Chapman said.

But he said three companies are interested in the possibility of placing a “limited service” store in the East End. Those stores have 15,000 to 25,000 square feet, compared to a more typical size of 40,000 square feet.

“This type of store has fruits and vegetables, but not a full deli,” Chapman said. “We’re taking the mayor and some others to Philadelphia for a site visit to see two of those limited service operations in a market where they have a large presence.”

Chapman said that visit will occur no later than the fall and that a decision will be made on which grocer to work with at the intersection of 25th Street and Nine Mile by the end of 2012.

Chapman added that efforts retailers, including grocers, are often reluctant to open stores in areas where they don’t think there are favorable demographics. He said they don’t think they can make money in areas with lower incomes, a stance he said he disagrees with.

The chamber and several private groups are also trying to spur development in the area.

Bon Secours gave a series of seed grants to small businesses last fall and plans to repeat the grants this year and in 2013. To be eligible retailers need to be doing business in the 23223 zip code, which includes the East End.

The address came three days after the City Council approved Jones’ budget. Among its most controversial features was funding for city schools. The system had asked for nearly $24 million extra from the city to plug a budget hole.

“We wanted to prioritize children and prioritize classroom instruction as we dealt with this huge gap we had from the school system,” Jones said.

Jones convened a task force, assisted by a consultant group bankrolled by the Chamber of Commerce, to scrutinize the schools budget and make recommendations to cut costs, though it will be up to the School Board to implement any of the recommendations.

In the budget approved Monday, the schools will get about $5.5 million more in city funding, and some School Board members have said layoffs, which may include teachers, are inevitable.

Jones called the recommendations of the task force, which counted many business leaders among its membership, a blueprint for closing the remaining gap.

“One of the good things about being the mayor of Richmond is that the business community is absolutely fantastic, proactive and always willing to step up to the plate to make sure that things we need are provided,” said Jones, who is expected to run for re-election but has refused to say whether he will.

John L. “Mac” McElroy III, a managing director for Virginia operations at RCM&D, a Baltimore-based insurance firm, asked Jones about reverting to an appointed School Board from the present elected system, citing a chamber trip to Boston and a meeting with Mayor Thomas Menino. Menino, McElroy said, told them the move was crucial to transforming public education.

Jones, laughing, said such a move would require an act of the General Assembly.

“He also has a lot more power than I have. He’s a real strong mayor,” Jones said. He pointed out that at least five incumbents on the School Board will not run for re-election.

“That’s an opportunity for us to elect people that are forward-thinking and progressive,” he said.  Jones’ son Derik E. Jones is running for the 8th District School Board seat.

After the presentation, McElroy said “too much acrimony” and a lack of cooperation between the city and the school system inhibit advancing a progressive educational agenda.

“I’m convinced that if we’re going to break the cycle of poverty … it’s about two things: education and affordable housing,” McElroy said.

Work It, Richmond director Jacob Geiger contributed to this story.

The following are recently issued business licenses in Chesterfield.

Youth & Family Services of Virginia Inc. (personal service); 300 Arboretum Place, Suite 502, North Chesterfield 23236.

Allegro Management Inc. (business service-consulting); 2413 Chimney House Terrace, Midlothian 23112.

AMC Catering Inc. (personal service); 617 Forkland Drive, North Chesterfield 23235.

Team Junior’s Trucking (personal service); licensee Ozell Anderson Jr., 4901 Treely Road, Chester 23831.

Samuel A. Andrews (retail merchant); 2708 Timberline Court, South Chesterfield 23834.

Christopher D. Arthur (contractor); various Chesterfield locations.

B & L Coin Laundry LLC (personal service); 15812 Jefferson Davis Highway, South Chesterfield 23834-5202.

B B and Clary Concrete Specialist LLC (contractor); licensee same, 16718 Amherst Ridge Court, South Chesterfield 23834.

Baker Distributing Co. #716 (wholesale merchant); 11507 Hull Street Road, Midlothian 23112.

Bassfield Electric LLC (contractor-electrical); 6501 Chickamauga Drive, Chesterfield 23832.

Bennett Enterprises (business service); licensee Matthew D. Bennett, 12431 Cameron Bridge Place, Midlothian 23112.

Sierra Enterprise (contractor); licensee Donald L. Benton Jr., 5206 Berryridge Terrace, Chesterfield 23832.

Body By Maria LLC (personal service); 7007 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield 23224.

BBB-Home Construction-Lawn Care (contractor); licensee Wilbert Bonner, 6518 Buglers Trail Lane, Moseley 23120.

Brakkenwood Studios (personal service-photographer); licensees David J. & Sarah Brakke, 3911 Chippendale Drive, North Chesterfield 23234.

MFB Consulting (business service-consulting); licensee Mary F. Brame, 5803 Lakemere Drive, North Chesterfield 23234.

Pressure Pleasure (personal service); licensee Wyndell Brown Jr., 730 Wadsworth Drive, North Chesterfield 23236-2626.

The Cardiac Connection Home Health Care (personal service); licensee Cardiac Connections Home Health Care Nursing Services Corp., 10106 Krause Road, Suite 200C, Chesterfield 23832-6572.

That was the scene Tuesday night, when some of the 143 competitors in i.e.’s startup competition gathered in Shockoe Bottom to practice their pitches and seek advice from more than 30 mentors, a group that included marketers, lawyers, bankers and experienced entrepreneurs.

Andy Stefanovich, executive with the global branding firm Prophet and a partner with venture capital group New Richmond Ventures LLC, kicked off the gathering by urging entrepreneurs to “find someone who can be the loyal opposition, who can ask questions that push your thinking and business to the next level.”

Stefanovich also said entrepreneurs need to find a “personal board of directors,” people who may not have insights into the business but who can support the individual entrepreneur during tough times.

The competition pits 142 businesses — all of them based in the Richmond area and less than a year old — against each other. Online voting will help select finalists, and a group of judges will review executive summaries (or YouTube videos) submitted by each business to select a winner.

That winner will receive $10,000, free offices in New Richmond Ventures’ Shockoe offices for six months and a chance to talk about the company during this fall’s TedXRVA event.

i.e. also is promoting the contest (and the region’s entrepreneurs) through a billboard campaign.

Brian Marks was seeking advice Tuesday on patents and trademarks for his startup, BonfireFunds.com. The company is a crowd-funding website that allows organizations or individuals to create campaigns to raise money for causes by selling custom T-shirts. Groups have 50 days to sell at least 50 shirts before printing occurs.

Mike Bucci was one of the veteran entrepreneurs advising Marks on Tuesday. Bucci is an inventor who brings commercial products to market, usually in retail settings. He also wrote a book about entrepreneurship and coaches aspiring inventors.

Bucci said he had to build his network through one-on-one networking as he sought to market his first products. That task was made more difficult by his need to find people who understood the marketing process, patents and offshore production and sourcing.

“I had to go one person at a time,” he said. “There was nothing like this and nobody to walk you through the room and introduce you to the right people.”

Andrew White, a lawyer at LeClairRyan who represents emerging and high-growth companies, said putting entrepreneurs and mentors in the same room “solves the problem of connecting new innovators with experienced entrepreneurs.”

Though LeClairRyan has grown into a large, full-service law firm, White said founder Gary LeClair originally envisioned the company as a boutique firm that specialized in venture capital work. That’s the area White’s focused on for much of his 17 years at the firm.

“I love dealing with that founder who’s also the CEO, CFO and the chief investor,” White said. “It’s not always fun, but it’s definitely exciting and thrilling each day.”

The following are recently issued business licenses in Henrico.

Hapi Products (retail merchant); licensee Nnamdi Langry, 711 N. Laburnum Ave., Henrico 23233.

Shelton Lucas (business management); 546 Siena Lane, Glen Allen 23059.

Larain By Taylor (retail merchant); licensee Barbara Morris, 806 Brook Hill Road, Henrico 23227.

Theodore Moody (retail merchant); 3302 Williamsburg Road, Henrico 23231.

Mar-Lei Group LLC (contractor); various Henrico locations.

Umbrella Computing (computer consultant-programmer); licensee Scott Merten, 6104 Warbler Way, Glen Allen 23059.

Juggs Professional Paving (contractor); licensee Jesse Meyer, various Henrico locations.

Midview Management Corp. (business/miscellaneous service); 4112 Innslake Drive, Glen Allen 23060.

Five Stars Painting (contractor); licensee Norman Munoz-Jimenez, 2205 Viking Lane, Henrico 23228.

Economiclean (janitorial service); licensee Lawrence McNeil, 10403 Warren Road, Glen Allen 23060.

Kim Nguyen (beauty parlor); licensee Kim Phuong T. Nguyen, 9800 Olde Milbrooke Way, Glen Allen 23060.

Peoples 1st LLC (transportation services); 2800 Darton Drive, Henrico 23223.

Peter Chang LLC (retail restaurant); 11424 W. Broad St., Glen Allen 23060-5821.

Green Stone Day Spa (beauty parlor); licensee Hang Pham, 3521 Hunton Ridge Drive, Glen Allen 23059.

Pamela R. Faulkner RNCS, LLC (social counselor); 5412 Glenside Drive, Henrico 23228.

JT Pharmacy Technical Training (adult educational service); licensee Sharonda R. Trimiew, 9507 Woodman Road, Henrico 23228.

Green LL Tree Services (lawn maintenance); licensee Adoniran M. Teixeira, 1235 Gaskins Road, Henrico 23238.

Winesett-Hill Constructors Inc. (contractor); various Henrico locations.

Koa Publishing (artist); licensee Bridgette D. Williams, 4312 4th St., Henrico 23223.

Richmond Boat Show (sales promotion/flea); licensee AGI Productions, 600 E. Laburnum Ave., Henrico 23222.

MCA Construction (personal services); licensee Mikhail Arutyuntants, 9315 Classic Road, Glen Allen 23060.

John Fralin, who’s owned the frame store in Shockoe Bottom for 22 years, has opened a shop inside DéCOR – Design Center of Richmond on South Belmont Avenue in Carytown.

Fralin designs and mills many of his moldings as well as designs and builds furniture.

Marc Cates and Andrew Chasen, DéCOR’s co-owners, said having an onsite framer was imperative as a service to new clients as well as a way to take care of Art & Frame Studio customers. DéCOR took over the space formerly occupied by Art & Frame Studio.

The new shop will be called Fralin Art & Frame.