Business Loans on the North Fork and East End

A narrow peninsula with a wide mix

The North Fork runs about 30 miles from Riverhead east to Orient Point, mostly in the towns of Riverhead and Southold. Farming defines the landscape: more than 30 vineyards, apple orchards, and potato and sod farms, along with commercial fishing and clamming out of the bays. Greenport is the main village at the eastern end. Ferries run from Orient Point to Connecticut and from the fork to Shelter Island. Route 25 is the main road, the Long Island Rail Road serves Greenport on a limited schedule, and the Hampton Jitney brings visitors from New York City.

The East End also includes the South Fork and its resort towns, so the term covers a wide range of business types. Both forks are in Suffolk County.

A cash-flow calendar for the East End

Who the East End's owners are

• Vineyards and tasting rooms with long production cycles and event income.
• Farm stands and orchards that sell directly to visitors and to restaurants.
• Marinas, charter and fishing operators who buy fuel and parts before bookings arrive.
• Inns, restaurants and shops in Greenport, Mattituck and other villages.
• Contractors and landscapers serving second homes who sometimes pay on completion.

What we can say, with an illustration

We fund $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours. We consider FICO 500+, review about three months of business bank statements, do not require tax returns and use a soft credit pull. The application takes about five minutes, and sole proprietors can apply.

For illustration only, with round numbers that are not our terms: a Greenport inn needs $45,000 to repaint, replace bedding and fix a roof before its first spring weekend. The question is whether the rooms back in service will bring in enough extra bookings to cover the payment even in the slowest winter month.

Planning around the farm and visitor year

The North Fork has more than one clock running. A vineyard follows the growing season and the bottling schedule, a farm stand follows the harvest, and an inn or restaurant follows the visitor calendar and the ferries. These clocks overlap in late summer and fall and go quiet in winter. If the money is for a purchase that earns only in peak months, the owner should count the winter payments as part of the cost.

• Pair seasonal purchases with the months they will earn.
• Keep deposits consistent so statements tell a clear story.
• Do not borrow for a summer project in a month when summer is still far off unless the work must be done first.

Pages for this area

See the North Fork and East End overview, the pages for Riverhead, Mattituck and Suffolk County, and the wider Long Island page. The application takes about five minutes.