Benicia Among Top 5 U.S. Towns In Running For $500K Hulu Makeover

BENICIA, CA — The city of Benicia has been selected as one of the"Top 5 Towns" in a competition to be featured on a hit TV show, city officials learned early Tuesday. If Benicia wins, it will be the focus of Season 5 of Hulu's "The Small Business Revolution."

In the original Hulu series hosted by Amanda Brinkman and Ty Pennington, the Deluxe team invests $500,000 to revitalize selected main-street small businesses through makeover and marketing assistance — with the makeover process filmed for the show.

Thousands of towns are nominated each year; The list is narrowed to the top 20, then to the top 10. The Deluxe team visits the top 10 towns to assess the needs and opportunities of their main- street small businesses, and was in Benicia Dec. 4-5, visiting First Street businesses, according to City of Benicia Economic Development Specialist Teri Davena.

The list is then narrowed to the top five.

Producers look to the public to determine which town will be the focus of the show streamed not only by Hulu but also on Prime Video.

Benicia is the only California town in the running, and is competing against: Fredonia, New York; Livingston, Montana; Spearfish, South Dakota; and The Dalles, Oregon.

Public voting opened Tuesday, Jan. 14, and continues for one week, through Tuesday, Jan. 21, online at SmallBusinessRevolution.org.

Voters are allowed to vote one time per day, per device (i.e. cell phone, iPad, computer).

"I am excited for our town and the chance for so many viewers to see what we get to experience each day," city of Benicia Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani said. "Our small business owners have helped create a renaissance for us on First Street, now it is our turn to help them with a 'Revolution!' I encourage everyone to vote every day for Benicia."