M&N Rentals, LLC - The Appalachian Mountain Inn
They know exactly what we’re doing and what the opportunity is here that a traditional bank would not get. They’re trying to help business owners who are just trying to start out, which is what I am.
People
Nicole Kruse has a unique vantage point for observing Ohiopyle’s evolution as an adventure destination. Nicole runs Ohiopyle Photography, the business that photographs whitewater rafters as they battle the rapids, plus a gift shop. She and her fiancé — like her sister and their parents — have also invested in vacation rental houses. Nicole’s cash flow is seasonal, and she was a little short when a house across the street from her home suddenly became available. “The opportunity came up and we just had to figure it out as fast as we could,” she says.
Progress
Nicole knew that most traditional banks would turn up their noses at her cash flow. She worked with The Progress Fund, which loaned $124,000 — 80% of the purchase price. “They can see the vision that banks cannot,” she says.
Impact
As a skier engaged to a snowboarder, Nicole has a vision for the Ohiopyle area that goes beyond whitewater. “We need to become more of a year-round destination,” she says. The missing piece is lodging, and she and her family members are addressing that with vacation rentals. They’re adding a hot tub and planning a game room, so guests can “go for a hike in the snow and have a place to come back to and cook a meal and go into the hot tub and have a fire in the evening.”
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