Small Business Assistance Corporation

CARAWAY CAFÉ & MARKET
TONY WIGGINS AND ROBIN MCARTHUR
5002 PAULSEN STREET, SUITE 105
SAVANNAH, GA 31405
691-1266
www.carawaycafe.com
tony@carawaycafe.com
robyn@carawaycafe.com

Tony Wiggins and Robin McArthur, the owners of Caraway Café, had one of those chance meetings that set into motion an idea both had shared for years. A friend had introduced Tony and Robin and they quickly found that opening a restaurant was the dream they both shared. This would have been easy to understand from Robin’s experience as a trained Chef, having worked at one of the leading restaurants in Charleston, no one would have guessed that it was also Tony’s dream.

Tony, a CPA, had always wanted to own his own small business and approached Robin with his idea. The business plan was created by both and presented to Coastal Bank. Coastal Bank was impressed with the desire and knowledge Tony and Robin both brought to the table and asked the SBAC to help by packaging a SBA Low Doc loan. An additional RLFD loan from the City of Savannah was also needed for a portion of the funding. Stephen George of SBAC met both Tony and Robin, put the package together and Coastal Bank submitted the request to the SBA. Approval soon followed from both the SBA and the SBAC loan committee and then Tony set about transforming a former small restaurant, on Paulsen and 66th streets into the Caraway Café. After many weeks of hard labor, Tony and Robin opened Caraway Café.

Caraway Café specializes in gourmet take out with a daily rotating menu. Open for lunch and dinner 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. M-F and till 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, customers can eat in the Café or take their order home and have a wonderful dinner that is like no other take out they have ever tasted. The Café has become very popular with the area hospital staff and draws customers from Ardsley Park, Kensington Park and downtown workers who zip in to grab a take out on their way home. They have become so popular that the hours have been extended and Saturday has been added. Now it is easy to say, “Tonight, I’ll do the cooking.”

Dental Designs of Savannah
Dr. Richard M. Thomas, Jr.
300 Bull Street Suite 301
Savannah, GA 31401
912-234-1944

Richard M. Thomas, Jr, D.M.D., P.C. is proof that a teenager’s dream of becoming an entrepreneur can come true. It was during those years that he was influenced by his family’s orthodontist to become a dentist.

Dr. Thomas graduated from the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry in Augusta, GA in 1994 and worked as an Associate Dentist from 1998 to 2002 for Dental Care Alliance, later named Smile Innovations, LLC.

In October 2001, Dr. Thomas began the planning phase of what is now Richard M. Thomas, Jr., PC dba Dental Designs of Savannah located at 300 Bull Street Suite 301 in the DeSoto Hilton Hotel in beautiful Historic Savannah, GA.

Dental Designs of Savannah is a Cosmetic, General and Implant Dentistry practice that offers radiology/imaging consultation, diagnosis, treatment planning, therapy and dental surgery.

Darby Bank approached the Small Business Assistance Corporation with a request to guarantee a working capital loan for Dr. Thomas using the City of Savannah’s Guarantee Loan Program. The loan was approved and allowed Dr. Thomas to create two new jobs.

In Dr. Thomas’ office, you are not treated like a number; he and his staff offers on time, caring and personalized services that make you want to return again and again.

MASTER OF THE LINKS
MICHAEL J. O’NEILL ENTERPRISES, INC.
365 Red Cedar Street, Unit 503
Bluffton, SC 29910
843-815-2472
www.masterofthelinks.com
mjone2000@aol.com

Master of the Links was purchased by the current owner Michael O’Neill in 1999. The company is the supplier for golf club equipment and supplies for the everyday operation of a golf course. The company currently represents over 50 manufacturing companies. Most recently Master of the Links has become the exclusive dealer for Husqarvana Power Equipment. This required that Michael move into a larger facility that would accommodate sales and service in the same location.

With the assistance of the Small Business Assistance Corporation and the First Savings and Loan Association of Charleston, Mr. O’ Neill acquired a building in Bluffton, SC and has opened his retail location. This will increase his gross sales annually with the additional line of merchandise and equipment. He continues to be one of the chief suppliers of golf course maintenance equipment and supplies throughout the Southeast.

CGF, INCORPORATED
DBA BEAUFORT BOAT HOUSE
247 ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY
BEAUFORT, SC 29906
(843)522-2040/1-866-258-3053
FAX: (843)522-0885
E-Mail: info@beaufortboathouse.com
Web Site: www.beaufortboathouse.com

Beaufort Boat House was established in 1996 by the previous owner. The winters in New England over the last several years have been long, cold and heavy with snow. Craig and Dawn Freeman decided enough was enough and wanted to change their life style. Craig grew up spending his summers off the shores of Cape Cod and the Islands fishing and enjoying the ocean. The most logical way to continue that summer vacation type life style that they dreamed of was to move to the Low Country of South Carolina. When the opportunity arose to purchase the Beaufort Boat House, Craig and Dawn jumped at the opportunity, buying the business and the real estate.

With the assistance of Leo Story at The First National Bank of Nassau County and the Small Business Assistance Corporation the Freeman’s were able to put together an SBA 504 loan request to purchase the real estate that the boat dealership was housed in. The company provides the sales and service of consumer fishing boats. Their two main boat lines are Pursuit and Parker. They also provide the Angler Model. They have an exclusive agreement with Pursuit to service the market from Charleston, S.C. to Savannah, Ga.

They have over fifteen (15) years of experience in sales and marketing. Dawn is overseeing the office manager duties, while Craig focuses on sales and customer relations. This young and energetic couple has established a goal of being one of the premiere boat dealerships from here to Charleston Harbor, and in the short time they have been operating the company they are not disappointing anyone.

TODD GODWIN CONSTRUCTION, INC.
DBA PRECISION GOLF
281 COURSEY ROAD
ELLABELL, GA 31308
912-653-2660

Heather Godwin, President of Todd Godwin Construction, Inc. dba Precision Golf, and her husband Todd had crafted a niche in the landscaping and construction business by specializing in golf course construction and renovation. Golf courses are constantly in need of maintenance beyond keeping the greens manicured. Especially during the winter months many courses suffer from erosion and deterioration. Additionally, the owners make changes to the courses and the greens to keep things new and interesting for their clientele.

Precision Golf provided sprig installation, built greens, installed fairway drainage, bunker development (sorry guys, they do that too), and tee construction. They had developed a good reputation and worked from Florida into the Carolina’s and were getting more and more inquiries. However they were concerned that during the off season their employees would leave for steady work elsewhere. This was a large problem in that these employees were experienced in the job requirements and would be difficult to replace.

Heather approached their bank, Darby Bank, for a working capital loan in order to keep their employees in place. Darby Bank identified an opportunity for SBAC to provide Heather with a SBA MicroLoan. SBAC reviewed the request and was able to put the needed capital in place not only saving jobs but keeping a business viable by allowing valued, experienced employees in place.