How a Small Bakery Secured $120K to Open a Second Location

When Michelle Nguyen opened her first bakery, Maison Petit, in 2021, she had a waiting list on day one. By 2024, she was turning away catering orders and losing loyal customers who could not find parking. The problem was not demand — it was space. This is the story of how she secured $120,000 in funding and opened her second location in 18 days.

The Challenge

Michelle had strong revenue — averaging $42,000 per month across her original location — but like many food service entrepreneurs, most of her profit was reinvested in inventory and staffing. She had $28,000 in savings but needed $140,000 to secure the new lease, build out the kitchen, and cover the first two months of operating expenses. She approached her local bank first, who offered her $60,000 — less than half of what she needed.

How BankShare Helped

Michelle submitted her application through BankShare on a Tuesday afternoon. By Thursday morning she had three competing offers from lenders who specialized in restaurant and food service expansion. The winning offer came from a specialty SBA-backed lender: $120,000 at 9.2% over 60 months, with a 90-day payment deferral to let the new location ramp up.

The Result

• New location open in 18 days from funding
• Combined monthly revenue hit $78,000 within 4 months
• Catering revenue up 220% in first year
• Paid off the loan 14 months early