Organizer Information
Welcome to Chinatown was founded in March 2020 as a grassroots initiative by Jennifer Tam and Vic Lee, two Asian American women with a deep connection to Manhattan's Chinatown. The organization was born when the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with increased xenophobia, decreased foot traffic, and a lack of advocacy, brought tremendous hardship to Manhattan's Chinatown, and its co-founders centered its mission on empowering small business owners, community partners, and other marginalized voices through relief and innovation programs, outreach, and storytelling. Since founding, the grassroots initiative has evolved into a multimillion-dollar 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a hyperlocal approach to its programming. Welcome to Chinatown's broader mission is to uplift API, immigrant, and minority business owners who make up the diverse fabric of the Manhattan Chinatown community. The #MadeOnMott Storefront Incubator is one of the organization's small-business support initiatives, alongside grant programs and community-building efforts on Mott Street.
Title & Description
#MadeOnMott Storefront Incubator Residency
Welcome to Chinatown is launching a dedicated space for entrepreneurs who have never had a brick-and-mortar presence but are ready for one. Selected small businesses get the chance to test their vision and take a leap forward with a three-month residency at Welcome to Chinatown's storefront incubator on Chinatown's Mott Street. The program hands a rising entrepreneur a fully built-out storefront for three months, at a fraction of market rent, offering a chance to bring a business to life in a real space — in front of an estimated 5,000 people a day — before signing a lease.
Categories
- Residency
- Craft
- Fashion
- Design
Eligibility
- Open to founders of product and retail businesses, including packaged food and beverage brands, provided items are shelf-stable and made off-site (the space is not a commercial kitchen)
- Program is intended for entrepreneurs who have never had a brick-and-mortar presence, but who have already built real traction online, through wholesale, or at pop-ups and markets
- Applicants should already have a clear vision for what they would do with a storefront
- Not specified in the source: geographic or residency restrictions on applicants
Program Benefits & Awards
- A fully built-out, ready-to-go storefront for a three-month residency period, with no construction or build-out costs required
- Mentorship and access to capital through Welcome to Chinatown's Advisors network
- Connections to landlords to support the transition to a resident's next lease
- Access to a community of fellow founders through the program
Application Fee
None. If selected, you move into a fully built-out, ready-to-go storefront. No construction, no build-out costs, and no waiting. You pay a low monthly base of $700 per month, utilities and insurance, plus a small single digit share of your sales. You will never pay more than the actual cost of rent for the space.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Phase 1 (Interest Form) Open: July 8 – August 30, 2026
- Phase 2 (Full Application): August 31 – September 20, 2026
- Phase 3 (Interviews + Public Showcase): October 5 – October 30, 2026
- Notifications: By November 9, 2026
- Q1 Residency: January 5 – April 4, 2027
- Q2 Residency: April 19 – July 19, 2027
- Q3 Residency: August 2 – November 1, 2027
- Q4 Residency: November 15, 2027 – February 15, 2028
Location
Mott Street, Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City, United States
Additional Details
- Four residents will be selected total, one per quarterly slot; placement is based on seasonality and business type, and each resident has the storefront to themselves for their full three-month term
- Every applicant will be notified of their status, whether or not they advance
- Optional office hour appointments are available on July 21 and August 13, 2026, from 2–4 PM, at The Hub or virtually, for applicants who want guidance before applying
- The Phase 3 Public Showcase includes a community vote as part of the selection process, alongside reference checks