Thinking about opening a business in downtown Aurora? Welcome — we’d love to have you. Starting out means juggling a lot of small tasks, so here’s the whole path in order, with the free help and the exact places to go for each step. Work down the list, and reach out to the Aurora Downtown Project anytime — we’re here to help.
1. Plan it
- Sharpen your idea and write a simple business plan. What you’ll sell, who your customers are, and what it costs to open and run.
- Get free, expert help. The Missouri SBDC at Missouri Southern State University offers free, confidential business counseling. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has step-by-step plan templates, and SCORE pairs you with a free volunteer mentor.
2. Make it official (State of Missouri)
- Choose a legal structure (sole proprietor, LLC, corporation). An accountant or the SBDC can help you pick.
- Register your business with the Missouri Secretary of State — form your LLC/corporation, or register a fictitious (“doing business as”) name if you’ll operate under a name other than your own.
- Get your federal EIN (tax ID) — it’s free and instant from the IRS. You’ll need it for taxes and a bank account.
- Register with the Missouri Department of Revenue for sales/use tax (and employer withholding if you’ll have employees) through MyTax Missouri Online Business Registration.
- Get a Certificate of No Tax Due from the Department of Revenue — Missouri cities require it before they’ll issue a local business license (see step 3).
3. Get licensed with the City of Aurora
- Apply for your Aurora business license and confirm your location’s zoning through City of Aurora Community Development or City Hall.
- Handle building & occupancy permits if you’re renovating or changing a building’s use. Ask Community Development early — it’s easier before you start work.
- Serving food? You’ll also need a food establishment permit — ask about the Lawrence County health department / Missouri DHSS requirements.
4. Set up the money
- Open a business bank account (bring your EIN and formation paperwork).
- Get business insurance — general liability at minimum; workers’ compensation is required in Missouri once you have employees.
- Set up bookkeeping and a point-of-sale system so sales, expenses, and sales tax are tracked from day one.
5. Build your brand
- Make a logo — free. Design one yourself in Canva’s free logo maker — free AI-assisted tools included. Keep it simple and readable on a sign.
- Print business cards. Design them in Canva too, then print them through Canva’s website, a local printer, or Vistaprint.
- Plan your signage. Check the City’s sign rules first, and talk to ADP — we can point you toward downtown-appropriate design (and any façade help; see Invest & Develop).
6. Get found online
- Create a free Google Business Profile so you appear on Google Maps and Search. Add your address, hours, phone, website, and good photos — this is often how new customers find you first.
- Claim your social media — a Facebook Page and Instagram at minimum. Tag downtown Aurora so we can share your posts.
- Get a simple website (even a one-pager) or, at a minimum, keep your Google profile current.
7. Join the downtown community
- Add your business to the ADP map & directory — free. Fill out the listing form and you’ll appear on our interactive map and directory.
- Tell the Aurora Chamber of Commerce — join for networking, referrals, and a ribbon-cutting.
- Get on the community calendar and consider selling at Farmers Market Fridays or the Vintage Market, or sponsoring an event.
- Meet ADP’s Economic Vitality Committee. We meet monthly and would love to hear your plans — say hello.
8. A few more things people forget
- Set up your utilities and, if needed, commercial trash service.
- Check whether your trade needs a professional or occupational license in Missouri.
- If you’ll hire, learn Missouri new-hire reporting and payroll tax basics (the SBDC can walk you through it).
- Make your storefront welcoming and accessible to everyone — a wide, clear entrance helps every customer.
How to get grants for your small business
Real talk first: outright grants for ordinary small businesses are rare — most “small business grant” ads are noise, and no legitimate grant ever charges an application fee. But money is out there, especially for downtown building improvements, rural businesses, and specific groups. Here’s where to actually look:
- Start with a call to ADP. As a Missouri Main Street organization we hear about façade, sign, and building-improvement grant programs for downtown first — and we’ll help you apply. Ask us what’s open right now.
- Ask the Missouri SBDC (free). Your SBDC counselor tracks state and federal funding and can tell you in one meeting what you’re realistically eligible for — grants, low-interest loans, or tax credits.
- Check the official lists, not ads: Grants.gov (all federal grants), Missouri Department of Economic Development programs, and USDA Rural Development business programs — Aurora’s size works in your favor for rural programs like REAP (energy improvements).
- Watch corporate and nonprofit grant rounds. Recurring ones include FedEx Small Business Grants, the Amber Grant (women-owned), Fast Break for Small Business, and Hello Alice — helloalice.com aggregates current openings.
- Historic building? Ask about tax credits. Missouri’s historic preservation tax credit and federal rehabilitation credits can cover a meaningful share of renovating a downtown building — often worth more than any grant.
- Write it down. Almost every application asks for the same things: your business plan, a budget for the project, and proof of registration. Do step 1 and step 2 above and you’re already grant-ready.
Your quick checklist
- ☐ Business plan (SBDC / SBA / SCORE)
- ☐ Register with the Missouri Secretary of State
- ☐ Federal EIN from the IRS
- ☐ Missouri Department of Revenue registration + Certificate of No Tax Due
- ☐ City of Aurora business license + zoning/permits
- ☐ Business bank account + insurance + bookkeeping
- ☐ Logo (Canva) + business cards + signage
- ☐ Google Business Profile + social media
- ☐ ADP map & directory listing
- ☐ Join / notify the Aurora Chamber of Commerce
- ☐ Ask ADP + the SBDC about grants and tax credits