Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia. 

Today is Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025

Small business owners who have been affected by declared disasters may be eligible for low-interest loans from the SBA…the West Virginia Theater Trail adds four more venues…and a new coffee shop in Fairmont offers a twist on the usual coffee you might find in the U.S.…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From SBA.GOV – The U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to help businesses and homeowners recover from declared disasters.

Those eligible include businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters and private nonprofit organizations. You must be located in a declared disaster area and meet other eligibility criteria depending on the type of loan.

For more information and to find out if you qualify, visit the SBA online.

Learn more:

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance

#2 – From WV EXPLORER – Four theaters in West Virginia have been added to the state’s historic theater trail, established in 2010 to boost cultural and economic growth in Mountain State downtowns and rural areas.

The Elk Theater in Sutton, the Granada Theater in Bluefield, the Robinson Grand in Clarksburg and the Shepherdstown Opera House were added to the trail in 2025, according to Jamie Billman, preservation manager for the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia.

Billman said the trail, which is piloted by the alliance and the W.Va. State Historic Preservation Office, is helping attract and sustain the arts in theaters that are beyond the state’s strip commercial districts.

The initiative was designed to promote cultural tourism by showcasing the state’s theatrical heritage, supporting local economies by boosting traffic to local businesses, restaurants, and lodging accommodations, and revitalizing the theater buildings for years to come.

https://wvexplorer.com/2025/01/09/west-virginia-theater-trail-boosting-economic-growth/

#3 – From WBOY-TV – The Yemen Coffee Hut in Fairmont could be exactly what you need if you’re getting bored of drinking the same old coffee every morning, or if you’re just looking to try something new.

Located in both Fairmont and Morgantown, Yemen Coffee Hut offers customers traditional Yemeni coffee made with various spices like cardamom which give it a distinct aroma and flavor.

Manager Abdel Almadrahi says coffee is deeply embedded in Yemeni culture, and enjoying it is seen as a social gathering and a time for friends and family to spend time with one another, something that is becoming increasingly important in an increasingly digital age.

Yemen Coffee Hut sources its coffee beans directly from Yemen, where they are typically grown without pesticides or man-made fertilizers. This organic approach is why some coffee fanatics see Yemeni coffee as among the best in the world.

https://www.wboy.com/news/local/restaurant-road-trip/restaurant-road-trip-yemen-coffee-hut/

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

daily304 - Episode 01.16.2025