Photos courtesy Burkholder Brothers Landscape Company
It’s a simple rule of business: Go to where your customers are. For Mark and Barry Burkholder, that was just 17 miles away. But the project was a major one, and critical to the future of their thriving luxury landscaping business, Burkholder Brothers Landscape Company.
“We knew that moving the bulk of our business operations from Aston, PA to Malvern would result in a much easier drive and convenient location for our customer base throughout the Main Line and western Chester County,” said Barry Burkholder. “We just needed the financing to do it.”
To purchase three acres of property on 359 Paoli Pike, the Burkholder brothers faced an investment of capital that a conventional loan just wouldn’t cover.
“The SBA 504 loan turned out to be the ideal fit for them,” said Seedcopa managing director Sherwood Robbins. “It provides a government-backed guarantee, which is reassuring to lenders. For borrowers, it provides a long-term, fixed interest rate for the life of the loan, with less money out of pocket so you can continue to invest in your business.”
With Seedcopa and Bryn Mawr Trust, the Burkholders were able to purchase the three-acre property they wanted. And just two years later, they turned to Seedcopa again to help them purchase the land next door.
“The property adjacent to ours was a nursery that had been out of business for about 10 years, and had long fallen into disrepair. A couple of other businesses had moved in over the years and couldn’t make it work. But for us, the property was perfect,” said Mark Burkholder. “We knew if we could secure the land and the financing, we could create a design center where customers meet with their design professionals to review designs as well as tour our display gardens, patios and outdoor features.”
Working with Seedcopa and Bryn Mawr Trust once again, they secured another SBA 504 loan to purchase 5.27 additional acres at 353 Paoli Pike, allowing them to open a lawn and patio show room.
Now they’re providing more jobs to certified carpenters, mason, electricians, horticulturalists and contractors on a deteriorating property that they’ve transformed with their landscaping, lighting, irrigation, patios and fire features. And since landscaping services are on Pennsylvania’s list of life-sustaining businesses, they’ve continued to operate during the pandemic.
“Now is the time to call us about your landscaping needs,” says Barry Burkholder. “We can begin your design plans so you’re ready to create your perfect outdoor space.”
About Burkholder Brothers Landscape Company
Burkholder Brothers has been in business for 25 years, and provides an “all inclusive” business for Main Line residents. The company does all aspects of landscaping; from designing outdoor living areas, hardscapes and softscapes; to installing the various pieces of the design, such as patios, outdoor kitchens, and outdoor lighting; to finally maintaining the landscapes with comprehensive maintenance programs. For more information regarding Burkholder Landscape’s services, or to see all of the exceptional products they carry, call (610) 624-8687 or visit the Burkholder website: www.BurkholderLandscape.com.