Three people standing indoors, smiling for a photo. The woman in the center is wearing a black jacket, maroon shirt, black pants, white sneakers, glasses, and a black cap. The man on the left is wearing a light-colored shirt and dark pants. The man on the right is wearing a blue checkered shirt and beige pants. Behind them are shelves filled with books and framed photographs.
A logo for 'Cupcake Me!' featuring a cupcake and a layered cake with pink frosting, and the tagline 'All things cake...'.

Received a BXEDC Microloan

  • Through the funding provided by BXEDC, I was able to seize an expansion opportunity that significantly strengthened an existing partnership and took my business from local to national reach. Without this support, I would have missed out on an incredible milestone for my company.

    The funding also enabled me to invest in essential equipment, which made our operations more efficient, and allowed me to hire part-time employees—creating meaningful opportunities for others in the community.

    What truly surprised me was that BXEDC’s support didn’t end with the funding. They went a step further by actively promoting my business through their affiliate organizations. That kind of exposure was invaluable—it not only drove revenue but also expanded my network and helped me build new client relationships.

    I am extremely grateful to the entire BXEDC team. They genuinely care and are deeply committed to empowering and growing small businesses. As our Borough President Vanessa Gibson says, “The Bronx means business,” and BXEDC is the backbone making sure that rings true in every way possible.

Three men in aprons posing inside a paint store with shelves of colorful paint buckets in the background.
A logo featuring a chair with the text 'Established 3X NYC' and 'S.Greens Inc.' around it.

Received a Bronx Commercial Development Loan

  • Created over 20 years ago, Established Screens is a Bronx-based business that specializes in creating custom apparel.

    The loan they received from the BXEDC gave them the opportunity to purchase an embroidery machine, which expanded the services they could offer. This loan was introduced in May 2024, and already it is helping Bronx businesses thrive.

    Owner Eric Gallea told The Bronx Times, “BXEDC is truly invested in the success of Bronx businesses. They didn’t didn’t just hand Established Screens Inc. a check and send us on our way ... The staff worked with us like partners. They assisted us in finding the right equipment to expand and take our business to the next level.”

Front view of Claudia's Kitchen, a Peruvian food restaurant, with two people standing outside wearing blue uniforms, colorful bunting flags, and a sign indicating the restaurant is open.
Sign for Claudy's Kitchen with white stylized text on a blue background and a red and yellow striped border.

Received Bronx Initiative for Energy and the Environment and Bronx Revolving Loan Fund Loans

  • A Michelin award-winning, family-owned Peruvian restaurant specializing in authentic homemade cuisine.

    Claudy’s Kitchen opened on June 12, 2020. At the time there was a Covid shut down, and Claudy’s was only allowed to have two people in the store at a time, 12 feet apart, and for pick up only. As you can imagine, this is not ideal and Claudy’s was prevented from running anywhere near full capacity. Yet Claudy’s was able to get their community to support them and actually sold out of food on their first day open. As well as limiting customer interaction, the COVID-19 pandemic created food shortages, wildly fluctuating prices of staples, like chicken, butter, eggs and dairy and added additional costs for disinfecting, buying sanitizer, gloves and masks. Starting a business is never easy, starting a business in the middle of the pandemic was near impossible. But the fact that Claudy’s did not just survive but grew into the community staple it is today speaks volumes to the quality of their food and the massive support Claudy’s has received from their customers and community.