Fargo Skateboarding awarded $8K TIF grant from city of DeKalb: ‘Now the building can shine’

DeKALB – The owner of Fargo Skateboarding said she views the city’s support of the skateboarding shop through a $8,616 public grant as a sign that better days await.

Ariel Ries, owner of Fargo, appeared before DeKalb city leaders Monday as the DeKalb City Council voted, 7-0, to approve a tax increment finance assistance grant. Ries plans to use to the money to help pay for theater marquee signage. TIF assistance are funds that are used to spur economic activity in areas that but for the incentives may not occur.

“We have this amazing space, and now everybody can actually see that it’s here,” Ries said.

Fargo Skateboarding is eligible for the economic incentives as it falls within the boundaries of city’s geographical tax district called TIF 3, located generally along Lincoln Highway from the Kishwaukee River west of the downtown to the railroad tracks on the east end of the downtown. The TIF grant was awarded through the city’s Architectural Improvement Program, city documents show.

City Manager Bill Nicklas said he thinks it’s a good investment for the city to make and said he’s always in awe when people recapture the historic facades of the DeKalb’s buildings.

“It looks very much like the historic [theater marquee] sign and that was by design,” Nicklas said.

Ries said the signage is a positive for both the exposure of the skateboard shop and neighboring establishments along the block.

“Before it was just some steel beams that protruded from the building,” Ries said. “It was ugly. Now the building can shine.”

Ries has operated skateboard shops in town since 2007, first at Fun in Store and Small Town Skate Shop.

In 2016, Fargo Skateboarding opened for business.

“This is something we’ve been wanting for many years – an amazing sign to showcase the building,” Ries said.

Ries said she’s invested a lot into the skateboard business over the years, and she’s grateful to have some financial support.

“To be granted some TIF money for the sign just feels like ‘Wow, we’re really been appreciated by our town and our community,’ ” Ries said. “It just feels like the signature on the bottom of the canvas. ‘We’re done. We made it. We did it.’ ”

Ries said the theater marquee signage cost the skateboarding park more than $17,000.

She said that knowing that the city is reimbursing Fargo for the signage is a breath of fresh air for the skatepark.

“I know we’ll make it through the summer now,” Ries said. “Because being an indoor park, it’s very seasonal. Most of our business comes from the winter. Even timing-wise, this really helped out.”