Winners of REV Birmingham's fourth annual The Big Pitch at The Negro Southern League Museum on Nov. 18. L-R: Noncompeting finalist Rae’Mah Henderson, second-place winner Kate Hardy of Square One Goods, and Rodriquez and Brianna Cowans, first-place winners and owners of R&M Convenience Store.
REV Birmingham, the nonprofit economic development group, has announced that a local grocery store and a unique gift shop are the winners of The Big Pitch, its annual business-plan competition, which is sponsored by PNC Bank and carries about $40,000 in prize money.
Ten finalists made their pitches for start-up capital to judges, investors and a live audience at a “Shark Tank”-style event held at The Negro Southern League Museum near Regions Field on Saturday, Nov. 18, according to a REV Birmingham new release.
The first-place winner was R&M Convenience Store in Enon Ridge, owned by Rodriquez and Brianna Cowans.
The Cowans won the $20,000 grand prize, as well as the $5,000 popular vote prize -- the first time in history of The Big Pitch that a business has won both, according to the news release.
The couple plan to change their convenience store into a grocery store and rebrand it as 3rd Street Market.
Second place and a $10,000 prize went to Kate Hardy of Square One Goods, a pop-up shop that features cards, stationery and gifts and has a strong Birmingham flavor. Hardy plans to use the money to open a brick and mortar retail location.
In addition to the cash prizes, the Cowans will receive a suite of accounting services from Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith.
The Cowans and Hardy will receive legal services from Gray Jenkins Law Firm and memberships in the new Forge co-working facility at The Pizitz downtown.
Noncompeting finalist Rae’Mah Henderson presented her concept for Yobi Salads Express at the competition.
Henderson is 17 years old, one year shy of the age requirement to win cash prizes in The Big Pitch, but received a scholarship from to the CO.STARTERS business development program at Create Birmingham.
