Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant
Lloydell "Susie" Mesteth wanted to increase the services available in her Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant in Pine Ridge Village. Susie wanted to renovate and upgrade her building and equipment. She knew that Lakota Funds had a micro lending program for small businesses to access up to $5,000 on a fast track if they had good credit and a viable business. She got together with David White Bull, a small business coach in the Wawokiye Business Institute of Lakota Funds, and soon had a completed application for presentation to the Loan Department. Tony Taylor, Loan Officer, wrote a favorable Credit Memorandum and forwarded it to the Loan Portfolio Manager, Eileen "Taffy" Lafferty. Taffy approved the request and gave it to the Executive Director, Dowell Caselli-Smith for approval and a check was cut.
Susie has had a lifetime dream of owning her own restaurant and providing high quality non-franchise meals to her family, friends, and neighbors. Mi Casa serves great Mesican food at reasonable prices in a warm and inviting atmosphere. David White Bull says, "She opened up in May of this year putting every dime she had into her dream of running her own restaurant. When I drove through Pine Ridge I saw the new business and stopped in to see how things were going for her if she needed any help. Ever since then we have helped her with the technical and financial assistance. Her business has great potential to become a successful restaurant. Her food is delicious and service is great--she also employees three workers."
Susie applied for a loan under the micro lending category that only requires a cash flow projection, credit score, some collateral, along with business and personal financial records and her personal guarantee to be reviewed by the loan staff and the Executive Director. With her Individual Development Account funds and her personal integrity and commitment, it was a slam dunk.
To find her restaurant just look across the street from the old hospital on the hill north of downtown.