Where: Hawthorne, Mineral County, Nevada

Issue: Small, rural businesses lack access to capital

Outcome: Rural Community Assistance Corporation’s (RCAC) Loan Fund provides financing for construction and business expansion

Husband and wife business owners ran a food truck in Hawthorne, Nevada, a small rural community in western Nevada with just more than 3,200 residents. Their food truck was parked along State Highway 95 to take advantage of travelers on the drive between Las Vegas and Reno. The couple began the business in 2010 and have been successful in the ensuing years. However, state regulations restrict mobile food outlet operating hours to four per day, which limits how much revenue they can generate.

The couple sought to expand the business and relocate to a permanent site. They planned to renovate a manufactured office building, place it on a foundation and add a commercial kitchen. The new facility will allow them to operate the restaurant, Peppers Place, with increased hours and more capacity to serve customers and will also feature an outdoor seating area and bathroom facilities.

RCAC’s Loan Fund provided a $64,000 small business loan, with a guarantee from the Small Business Administration’s Community Advantage Program. Once the project is complete and the restaurant’s hours are extended the owners expect to expand their customer base. This project will help the owners retain their two full-time jobs, and the business plan includes hiring two part-time employees, thereby expanding employment in the rural community.