How a Restaurant Group Used a $1.2M SBA Loan to Open Two Locations at Once

Carlos and Diana Reyes had built one of the most beloved Mexican restaurants in their city. La Mesa de los Reyes had been fully booked on weekends for two years running, and they were regularly approached about franchising. They had a different plan: open two new locations simultaneously — one in a neighboring city and one in an airport terminal.

Why Two Locations at Once?

Diana, who handles operations, had a clear logic: "Two locations or one — the management overhead is almost the same. We were going to have to hire a general manager, a new head chef, and a director of operations regardless. Doing two at once let us justify those hires immediately." The challenge was capital: they needed $1.2 million.

The SBA 7(a) Solution

Through BankShare, the Reyes family was matched with an SBA-preferred lender that specialized in multi-unit food service operators. The key to their approval was strong documentation: two years of tax returns showing consistent profitability, a detailed business plan for both new locations, and letters of intent from the airport terminal property manager.

• Loan amount: $1,200,000 SBA 7(a)
• Interest rate: Prime + 2.75% = 11.25% at time of closing
• Term: 10 years (120 months)
• Time to fund: 34 days from application to disbursement

Both locations opened within 6 weeks of each other. The airport location exceeded revenue projections by 40% in the first quarter. Carlos and Diana are now negotiating a third location.