St. Joseph Shakespeare Chateau Owners Secure $500,000 Loan to Reopen Landmark as Tourist Destination

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - March 18, 2013 - PRLog -- BoeFly, the premier online marketplace connecting small business borrowers with lenders, announced today that Isobel McGowan and Walter Keller, the owners of the Shakespeare Chateau Inn and Gardens in St. Joseph, Mo., secured a $500,000 25-year SBA loan from a Kansas bank through a connection made by BoeFly to reopen the landmark and bring a new tourist destination to St. Joseph.

The loan is helping McGowan and Keller finance the reopening of the historic Shakespeare Chateau at 809 Hall Street to the public as a bed-and-breakfast and event and performance venue.

“The reopening of the Chateau as a key tourist destination has not only preserved and restored the fine architectural and decorative features of the mansion, but it will also continue to contribute to a broadened appreciation for local history, enhanced tourism and new opportunities within the arts community,” said McGowan. “However, our vision for the landmark would never have been a reality without the adequate financing, and we are extremely glad that BoeFly connected us with a lender we never would have met otherwise.”

She added:  “The process of using BoeFly was highly efficient, and we were able to close on a loan with a compatible bank that we are now glad to have a relationship with.”

Their loan request received interest from seven lenders across the country, and after evaluating the financing offers, they chose to work with Deryl Schuster, president of Midwest Community Bank in Plainville, Kansas.

“This deal exemplifies a phenomenal credit, and when I found it on BoeFly, I knew it would be an excellent match for Midwest Community Bank,” Schuster said. “I am glad to now be working with Isobel and Walter, and I wish them the absolute best in their project to restore and reopen an impressive landmark for their local community.”

David Nayor, BoeFly’s co-president, views this success story as an uplifting solution to the widespread issue of small business credit access in the United States.

“The restoration project Isobel and Walter have undertaken is both extensive and expensive, and would not have been possible to achieve without the necessary capital,” said Nayor. “Fortunately, BoeFly has helped them and many others efficiently secure financing to make this goal a reality, and they can now make a positive difference in growing St. Joseph’s economy by creating jobs and promoting tourism. We look forward to continuing to work with qualified borrowers and reputable lenders such as Deryl Schuster to help drive small business growth and job creation.”

About BoeFly

BoeFly makes it easier to obtain small business loans (http://www.boefly.com/) by reducing the time, cost, complexity, inefficiency and frustration associated with small business lending.  Its online proprietary matching technology connects small business borrowers with multiple lenders from among its over 3,600 participating banks, based on the lending profiles provided by the banks and the information provided in the borrower’s loan request.

Borrowers build a complete decision-ready loan request online using BoeFly’s exclusive “SmartForm” technology which, when completed, provides the information that  over 3,600 lenders nationwide indicated to BoeFly they want to see before moving forward with a loan request. The SmartForm is easy to use and guides borrowers through the process. Once BoeFly’s matching technology identifies compatible lenders, borrowers then have complete control over which lenders can instantly access their loan request.  Using BoeFly, borrowers can connect with multiple lenders quickly and easily, providing a greater probability of obtaining a loan, as well as more favorable loan terms resulting from the creation of a competitive marketplace.   Lenders benefit by being presented with only those loan requests that fit their lending profile, dramatically lowering their cost and time of origination.   BoeFly is not a broker.  Borrowers pay a small one-time fee and lenders pay an ongoing subscription fee; BoeFly never charges transaction or referral fees.

BoeFly, now a strategic ally of the International Franchise Association to expand credit access within the franchise community (http://www.boefly.com/ifa.cfm), offers a Franchise Solution brings these benefits to the large and growing small business franchisee community and is the choice of more than 125 brands, including Dunkin’ Donuts, Carl’s Jr., Express Personnel and Kiddie Academy, among many others.

BoeFly’s Affiliate Solution is the financing exchange chosen by the Association of Small Business Development Centers, representing approximately 1,000 centers nationwide, which are funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, to serve small businesses, and Franchise Gator, the leading site for information on franchise opportunities.

BoeFly was founded by small business owners and small business lending experts with extensive small business lending experience. The company is privately-held and is based in New York City. http://www.boefly.com.

About the Shakespeare Chateau Inn & Gardens

The Shakespeare Chateau Inn and Gardens, LLC is located at 809 Hall Street, St. Joseph, Missouri, within the Hall Street Historic District. Both the building itself and the district of Hall Street are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1885, the high-Victorian mansion was originally an opulent dwelling of the well-to-do Nathan P. Ogden family. In 1995, the mansion was opened as a successful Bed & Breakfast with seven guest rooms and three grand parlors for entertaining and events. The B&B operation continued until 2002, when 809 Hall was purchased by an individual.

The current owners, Isobel McGowan and Walter Keller, placed the building under contract in December 2011, and closed on May 15, 2012. They have reopened the building to the public as a bed-and-breakfast, event-hosting and performance venue.  Guests will enjoy outstanding hospitality and comfort, will hear stories and learn the history of the Chateau and of St. Joseph, and will participate in unique entertainment and family-centered events, all at affordable prices.

The Shakespeare Chateau Inn and Gardens will become a tourist destination in St. Joseph for guests seeking unique overnight or weekend experiences.  The Chateau will offer incomparable bed-and-breakfast lodging; entertainment opportunities that include murder mystery dinners, ghost hunts, and magic performances; event hosting to suit every budget from affordable to deluxe; and knowledgeable tours of this world-class mansion that bring the history of St. Joseph to life.

Media inquiries:

Bill Fallon/ Keating Co. /212.925.6900/ bfallon@keatingco.com