Borrower Stories

Mystic Chocolate is a food business that just happens to specialize in confections. The owners, Bill and Casey Gash, combined their creative passions with a microloan from CIC, and they took Mystic Chocolate from the world of traveling farmers’ markets, to a brick & mortar shop in dowtown Mystic. Businesses come and go. How on […]

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell who has the advantage in small business lending. In this case, we think the edge goes to the fabulously talented team at PegArch Architecture and Design in Connecticut, because they’re smart as well as gifted. PegArch provides architectural and design services ranging from residential additions, to large scale planning and […]

We regularly meet high energy people who are passionate about their trade. Shiran Nicholson, the owner of Nicholson Events and now proud new owner of The Knowlton in Bridgeport, CT, is one such person. Shiran recently acquired a 29,600 sq ft building along the Pequonnock River, to bring your next party or corporate event to a higher […]

Congratulations to Education without Walls on the purchase of a new building for their unique and wonderful school! The school used a SBA 504 loan (the smartest loan program available, in our opinion!) to purchase a building that will become the new home for this independent, private micro-school in New Milford, CT. Education Without walls started in 2011 as […]

How Do You Grow a Business in Rhode Island? Just add water! In August 2019, Ripples Swim School is opening a second location in West Warwick, RI. Their original swim school is located on Gooding Avenue in Bristol, RI. The business did so well in Bristol, the owners decided to meet the market demands and open a […]

Stubborn Beauty Brewing is one of our favorite borrowers. (Oops, did we say that out loud?) It’s kind of like telling your kids one of them is your favorite. You kinda, sorta, shouldn’t do that. What we can do, however, is share how excited we are about their success and their recent growth.  Stubborn Beauty Brewing […]

Congratulations to Carmen & Ginger in Providence, Rhode Island, on the close of their MicroNOW loan from CIC. These small (under $15k) loans are ideal for working capital in just about any industry, but they are especially helpful for small retailers with specific needs.   Carmen & Ginger is a delightful, vintage retail shop located within […]

BRANFORD, CT – More than just a purveyor of great beer, Ed Crowley has created a true destination brewery complete with views of the Branford River. This $14,152,000 project was made possible by a SBA 504 loan and a partnership with Bill Rosadini of JP Morgan Chase Bank. While you can find Stony Creek Brewery’s […]

Oz ‘N Bones catering was started in 2017 with savings of $5,000 that was used to purchase a smoker and rent commercial kitchen space in Colchester, CT. Owners, Chris and Diane Ozmun smartly re-invested their profits into the business. When it came time to take their BBQ show on the road, the Ozmuns used a […]