Shore businesses spend in spring and earn in summer. The hard part of the year is the money that goes out before the first beach weekend.
Apply Now →A seaside restaurant, a marina, an ice cream stand, a surf and paddle rental shop or a hotel on the water all share one pattern. Most revenue arrives in a short window, while the biggest costs show up before it opens. Owners buy paint, replace equipment, stock inventory and hire seasonal staff in April and May, when the registers are nearly empty.
That is why a good summer can still feel tight in June. The business is profitable over twelve months, but the cash is in the wrong months.
Winter is hard on docks, signs, roofs, kitchens and refrigeration. Fixing it all lands in one stretch before opening.
Hiring and training happen ahead of the first busy weekend. In 2026 the state minimum wage is $17 an hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester, and $16 in the rest of the state, so a seasonal crew on Long Island and one on the Lake Ontario shore start from different wage floors. Both payrolls are due weekly whether the weather cooperates or not.
Food, bait, rental fleet maintenance, merchandise and packaging are all bought in volume ahead of the rush. Under-buying means turning away customers on the best weekend of the year.
A rainy holiday weekend can wipe out days of sales that cannot be made up later. Costs do not pause with the forecast.
For illustration only, and not our terms: picture a Lake Ontario shore marina and bait shop that needs $40,000 in April for dock repairs, boat-lift service and opening inventory, plus a few weeks of seasonal payroll. Its busiest weeks do not arrive until later. The question for the owner is not whether the season will pay for the preparation, but how to finance the gap between the first expense and the first big weekend.
| Question | Long Island shore | Lake Ontario shore |
|---|---|---|
| Wage floor in 2026 | $17 an hour | $16 an hour |
| Typical customers | Day visitors, second-home owners, restaurant crowds | Boaters, anglers, regional visitors |
| Main pressure | Fast opening and crowded peak weekends | A shorter, more weather-dependent season |
Neither is better. They simply move the pressure to a different month, and the right size and timing of working capital follows from that.
Seasonal businesses have lumpy bank statements, and that is expected. We ask for about three months of business bank statements, no tax returns, and a FICO of 500 or above is considered. Because those three months may include the quiet shoulder season, it helps to give context: when you open, what the summer months usually look like for you, and what the funds will cover. Funding runs from $25,000 to $5,000,000, and funding can come in as little as 24 hours after approval, which matters when a repair has to be finished before a holiday weekend.
Apply a few weeks before you need the money, not the week the equipment fails.
Seasonal businesses are common. We look at about three months of business bank statements and consider FICO 500+, with context from you about when you operate.
Ahead of the expense, ideally a few weeks before pre-opening repairs and hiring begin. Funding can arrive in as little as 24 hours once approved.
No. No tax returns are required.
It affects payroll budgeting. The 2026 state minimum is $17 in New York City, Long Island and Westchester and $16 elsewhere in the state.
That is a planning risk for any seasonal owner. Request an amount that fits your realistic revenue, not your best-case summer.
Three months of business bank statements and a 5-minute application. FICO 500+ considered. $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours.
Apply Now →It takes about two minutes and it will not affect your credit score.
No obligation • No impact to your credit score
