Delaware Small Business Administration and La Plaza Delaware officials visited Georgetown businesses this week ahead of Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday is a campaign encouraging people to shop local the Saturday after Thanksgiving – this year, La Plaza is taking the concept a step further by showcasing minority owned small businesses.
La Plaza is a two-year-old non-profit working to support and grow minority-owned businesses in Sussex County.
The business leaders visited four Latino-owned businesses – including Luli’s Creations, owned by Maria "Luli" Vasquez who specializes in event decorations, floral design and balloon art.
Speaking through translator Araceli Gil, La Plaza’s Resource Coordinator, Vasquez says she hopes to expand her shop and be the main floral distributor in Sussex County, but notes money is the only thing holding her back.
“That’s why she’s leaning on La Plaza, that way they can guide her through the process of getting to the right resources and hopefully reaching that end goal and vision.”
Vasquez started by taking business classes with La Plaza, and now they are helping her prepare to apply for an SBA-backed loan and expand her business in the next five years.
SBA and La Plaza also visited sign and banner service Impressions LLC, owned by married couple Ivan Vasquez and Patricia Carranza.
The family currently works out of their garage, but is in the process of adding an expansion and looks to hire employees with the help of SBA and La Plaza.
“These businesses, not only, you know, are they there to make a profit, they ingrain themselves in the community. They provide jobs to the community, and they really want to improve their community and give back to their community," SBA District Director Michelle Harris said.
The business leaders also stopped at Georgetown restaurant Jalapeño and the Hispanic grocery store Super Tienda Xela, owned by Victor Paxtor
Harris says the visits were not only to encourage Sussex County residents to shop local this Saturday, but to also check in on each businesses’ financial status and provide them with more resources.
“SBA has several loan programs available for small businesses from micro loans to big million dollar loans. They are mainly guarantees, we don’t do any direct lending, but we do help a bank get from a no to a yes," Harris said.
In addition to his two current businesses, Paxtor has submitted a loan application with SBA in hopes of opening a second restaurant in Georgetown.
