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Bringing the family business to the U.S. had always been a dream of Jose Gonzales, the son of a successful agave farmer in Mexico. He manages a family-owned North Las Vegas tequila and vodka bottling company.
After nearly a decade of operation in Las Vegas and North, Las Vegas Tequila Bottling LLC is expanding to a larger facility, a move that is made possible with an SBA 504 small business loan by TMC Financing. Gonzales, a Las Vegas transplant from Southern California, and his sister, Liliana Gonzales, have worked with their father, Francisco Flores, to help grow Flores’ company from a small, family dream to totaling more than $3 million in annual sales.
“It’s been such an unbelievable journey,” Jose Gonzales said. “Las Vegas is a great market for us. We are just so happy at the success we’ve had so far, and we’re still growing.”
Jose and Liliana Gonzales assist with running the plant in Las Vegas, while their father produces the agave needed for bottling at his agave farm and distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. The brother and sister said being able to grow so quickly was in part because of their choice in financial partners. The pair linked with TMC Financing, who administered the SBA 504 loan. TMC expedited the entire process of obtaining the loan and supported the company as it made its way to becoming a top competitor in the U.S. bottling market.
“Starting this kind of business, especially one that means so much to our family, is a dream of ours, but it’s also a lot of work,” Liliana said. “When it came down to the loans, all the paperwork gets so confusing. TMC was great in that they were literally right here in our building with us constantly, helping us get through all the paperwork and making sure we got the best loan for our business.”
TMC Financing is the top provider of the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan program for commercial real estate financing in California and Nevada. They provide funding to small, local business such as North Las Vegas Tequila Bottling to help them expand their facilities in a way that they can afford.
“That’s the part of this job that I love — just helping these small businesses take that next step,” said Chris Hunter, senior vice president of business development at TMC Financing in Southern Nevada. Hunter. He worked alongside the brother-sister duo as they put their dream into motion, helping them navigate the loan process and being there every step of the way to congratulate them on their success.
“It wasn’t stressful at all,” Jose Gonzales said. “If we had worked with anyone else, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
The new location will consolidate operations to increase efficiency and provide the company with greater control over occupancy costs in the future. The larger building will have more storage available for bottles and products as their company grows and will make room for machinery and expansive bottling projects that include crafting unique labels and putting a twist on liquor flavors with infused fruits.
“We went through a lot to get this place started. It definitely wasn’t easy,” Jose Gonzales said. “But we just keep working. We just keep working harder and harder to get this place bigger.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan program allows small-business owners to finance commercial real estate and other fixed assets with long-term, below-market, fixed interest rates. SBA 504 loans can be used to finance the total project cost, which can include the purchase price, construction/renovations, equipment, soft costs and closing costs. A typical 504 loan project requires a down payment of only 10 percent from the borrower, with the remaining amount split between a first mortgage provided by a commercial lender and a second mortgage provided by a certified development company. By enabling owners to keep their capital working to grow the business and create jobs, the 504 program provides long-term stability to businesses and communities. Business owners can confirm they meet the qualifications for an SBA 504 loan by visiting the TMC Financing website.
Founded in 1981, TMC Financing is the largest provider of SBA 504 commercial real estate financing in California and Nevada. TMC consistently ranks among the top CDCs nationwide, funding projects worth more than $9 billion across California and Nevada. More than 5,000 businesses have benefited from this financing, resulting in the creation of an estimated 60,000 jobs. For more information on SBA 504 loans and the local businesses they support, visit www.tmcfinancing.com.