Business Hub
COMPLETE YOUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS CENSUS HERE!
Restaurants and cafes in the DDA district may apply to establish outdoor dining areas in the public right-of-way during the warmer months, between April 1st and October 31st. Prior to the establishment and installation of outdoor dining areas, approval of a license agreement is needed by the City Commission.
All businesses located within the DDA district are invited to join and participate in the premiere community wide eGift card program. These gift cards do not require any special technology or administration to participate, rather any business using a Point of Sales system that accepts Mastercard and can manually key in transactions (similar to taking payment over the phone!) can accept the eGift. For more information on joining, review the merchant recruitment sheet by clicking the title above.
Social District
Social Districts allow for 'common areas' where two or more contiguous licensed establishments may sell alcoholic beverages in designated containers to be taken into the area for consumption. The Social District for Downtown Royal Oak was approved by the City Commission in April 2021, and is not set to expire until September 30, 2031. The Map and Social District Rules can be found on its landing page here.
Businesses seeking to join the Social District should follow these steps:
- Submit the following to the Downtown Manager, Daniel Hill, at DanielH@romi.gov.
- Completed Social District License Agreement
- Provide required Insurance Certificate
- A copy of the business logo that once approved will be used to sticker cups.
- Once all items are received they will be considered by the City Commission for approval. (You must also seek to amend your Plan of Operation with ROPD)
- Following Commission approval, businesses then apply to the State of Michigan MLCC using this Social District MLCC Form. (Local Gov. Approval page would be completed by RO Staff)
- Following MLCC Approval, the business then displays the Rules sign and would be eligible to receive Social District cups from the DDA.
Downtown Façade Grant
The Royal Oak DDA seeks to maintain and improve quality of life for its citizens and business owners by fostering economically viable and visually appealing commercial districts.
To help reach this goal, the Royal Oak DDA has established a Façade Grant Program to reimburse applicants for approved façade work on downtown buildings. Approved applicants shall be reimbursed 50% of the eligible costs of façade work up to $10,000 upon completion of the project.
Downtown Mural Grant
To help achieve the DDA in fostering a vibrant downtown streetscape, a Mural Grant Program has been established. Approved applicants shall be reimbursed 50% of the eligible costs of permanent exterior mural installations up to $5,000 upon completion of the project. Artwork approval by the Commission for the Arts and City Commission is required to apply.
Main Street Oakland County GrantsMain Street Oakland County provides grant opportunities to businesses that are located within affiliated Main Street programs, including Downtown Royal Oak. In addition to county grants, they also have a listing of other grant and loan resources for entrepreneurs to seek assistance.
Main Street America Online Business Tool (It's FREE!)
As a Main Street America accredited community, Royal Oak DDA is proud to provide resources from the national office. This assessment is intended to provide you with results to help your business maximize online and e-commerce capabilities. Upon completion, you will receive a set of customized results that are specifically tailored to your business.
The City's convenient parking structures, walkable downtown, diverse business community, and fantastic name recognition around the Detroit Metropolitan region make Downtown Royal Oak an opportune location for small businesses to open up shop. Access these resources to begin the process of making our beautiful downtown your new home for business!
In the Business eNewsletter
Stay in the know as a downtown business owner! Communication is key for us to share resources and opportunities, it also allows us to have open conversations with you as a business leader and to acquire feedback on many aspects in downtown that ensure the livelihood of your business!
Click here to subscribe: In the Business eNewsletter
Share Your Businesses Deals/Sales for Us to Market
As part of our monthly eNewsletter to consumers, we are happy to share the sales and deals you are hosting for various holidays. To participate in this service, fill out this form for each holiday event you will feature a special deal or sale.
DDA - Reports
The DDA contracts with multiple marketing and content creation firms with the goal of telling the story of downtown and compelling the public to patron our many amazing businesses in the downtown district. Here you will find a variety of informational items as it relates to these activities.
| Document/Report Title | Marketing Firm |
| Downtown Annual Report - Fiscal Year 2021 | Siren Media of Royal Oak |