3 Ladies Thai Cuisine | Application Preview
3 Ladies Thai Cuisine is seeking government grants to help sustain the business amid financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 16, 2020, Kentucky restaurants have been limited to take-out service, resulting in the business earning only 50-60 percent of typical daily sales. If awarded funding, the owner plans to use the money for rent and labor costs.
The business envisions significant growth over the next five years, with goals to generate daily sales of $4,000-$5,000 and to expand staff to include 3-4 servers and 4 cooks. Plans for increased advertising and catering services are also part of the strategy to reach these goals.
The owner has an inspiring personal background. Growing up in poverty in Laos and escaping to the U.S. after the Vietnam War, she always dreamed of owning a restaurant where she could express her creativity through cooking. With years of hard work, she saved up enough funds to start 3 Ladies Thai Cuisine. Although her initial partners opted out due to personal commitments, the owner has continued to run the restaurant with support from family and a dedicated server. Despite early success, the pandemic has hindered progress, making additional support crucial.
Competition exists from local Thai restaurants, including Mai Thai and a new establishment, Thai Lotus. However, 3 Ladies Thai Cuisine differentiates itself through its independent ownership and commitment to authentic Thai flavors, using traditional ingredients that many competitors omit. The restaurant is known for its house-made sauces, unique dishes like papaya salad, and options for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets, offering a broader menu for customers with dietary restrictions. Any funding received would greatly assist in navigating this challenging period.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 81-3705196
Location: florence, KY, United States
Length of Operation: 3.5 years
Number of Employees:
Annual Gross Income:
Annual Gross Expense:
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
Due to the Corona Virus, all restaurants in Kentucky have only been allowed to operate in a take out only basis since 3/16/2020. This has put a huge damper on our business, and we are currently doing 50-60 percent of our usual daily sales. If fortunate enough to be blessed with this money, I will use it to pay the rent and to pay labor costs.
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Business Plan
In the next 5 years, I plan to expand the business even further and be earning $4,000-$5,000 a day. I hope to have 3-4 servers and 4 cooks. I plan on advertising more as well as catering more events. I grew up very poor in Laos and my family escaped during the Vietnam war. Before coming to America, my family was sent to various refugee camps in Thailand as well as in the Philippines. Fortunately, my family survived and I was able to travel to the United States. My best friend and her family also traveled with my family and I. Growing up in Laos, I quickly learned that as a woman, it was my duty to cook. That was okay with me since I loved exploring my creativity and helping my mother. It has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to grow up and have my own restaurant. I wanted something to call my own where I could express myself through my food. I spent most of my early and middle adulthood working hard in factories to save money. By the time I was 54, I finally had enough money saved to open my own business. I asked my best friend from Laos to join me on this adventure and she and her cousin also contributed financially and helped me open 3 Ladies Thai Cuisine. Business started out slow, but it did not take long to pick up. However, after about 2 years, we started to see the potential for success. Unfortunately, around this time, my best friend and her cousin decided to opt out of the business. It was more of a time commitment than either of them had anticipated and my friend had two teenage boys to take care of at home. For the past year and a half, I have been running the business on my own with the help of my family and faithful server that has been with me since the beginning. Business was really flourishing, but then the Corona virus struck and slowed our income. I just need a little extra help right now and anything at all would be greatly appreciated.
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Self Identified Competition
We have one main competitor in this area and that is Mai Thai, a thai business located in Florence, KY that has been around for many years. Additionally, a new Thai restaurant just opened in Crestview Hills, KY called Thai Lotus. Our third competitor is Pholicious, a restaurant in the mall that sells pho and fresh spring rolls. Our business is unique because it is independently owned and operated. We make our dishes as authentically as possible with oyster and fish sauce. Many restaurants leave these ingredients out in order to appeal to American customers. We, however, want to preserve the authenticity of the food and choose to keep these unique flavors. Additionally, we make everything in house, including our sauces and our freshly bartered chicken wings and calamari. We also offer many unique dishes such as papaya salad, larb, and yum. We can make many thai dishes that are not on our menu and try to go above and beyond to accommodate our customers. We offer many gluten free, dairy free, and vegan dishes. Our soy sauce is completely free of gluten and gives customers with dietary restrictions a much larger menu to access.
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Contact Applicant
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