Abalabix Books of Crystal Lake and Reeses Barkery and Pawtique in McHenry have been selected as recipients of $10,000 Backing Small Business Enhancement Grant from American Express and Main Street America.

The two independently owned downtown businesses are among a dozen in Illinois to receive the grants and the only ones in McHenry County.

For Abalabix Books in downtown Crystal Lake, the grant will provide funding to build the shop’s inventory, create custom cabinetry, fund a sweepstakes marketing promotion and support a community postcard mailing project, according to a news release.

Diane Steverson, owner of Abalabix Books, said she was overwhelmed when she got the news that the bookstore had been awarded a grant.

“I am so grateful to be recognized by American Express and Main Street America,” Steverson said in the release. “Our bookstore exists in a historic downtown community with a wide variety of small businesses that work hard every day for their customers. This grant will go a long way towards helping us provide an even better bookstore experience for our community.”

Reeses Barkery pet supply shop in McHenry actually receive news of its grant prior to the January fire that gutted its downtown McHenry shop.

Now the extra funds are helping Reeses as it quickly set up a temporary location nearby.

“This grant was awarded prior to the fire and became an even more meaningful investment as we rebuilt,” the business posted on Facebook.

“For our family and team at Reeses Barkery & Pawtique, this grant helped us continue strengthening our business after rebuilding from a total-loss fire,” the post said. “We used the funding to purchase new retail shelving and updated computer systems, allowing us to better showcase our products and serve our customers more efficiently at our McHenry location.”

The post continued: “We are incredibly grateful for programs that invest directly in small businesses and the communities we are proud to serve.”

Since its inception, Backing Small Business has distributed more than $14 million in grants to over 1,600 small business owners across the U.S., according to the release. A full list of this year’s recipients is available at mainstreet.org.