When Joe Shields, owner and operator of Andy’s Frozen Custard franchise in San Antonio, set out to find a banking partner for his unique and capital-intensive lending needs, he knew he needed a bank with flexibility, local-decision making expertise, and unlimited creativity. Joe partnered with The Bank of San Antonio's commercial banking team, and through his relationship with his banker, Alan Kramer, Joe quickly gained speed to bring Andy's Frozen Custard to market.
Although Joe is already a proven community and business leader, entering into the quick service restaurant industry is new territory for him. He has a vision, great passion for and belief in what he is bringing to San Antonio, but he needs to surround himself with partners who are experts in the space and who can guide him every step of the way through the inevitable hurdles of this unique land deal and construction process.
Understanding what is driving Joe’s vision and needs has been the foundation of our dedicated partnership. Our teammates have worked hand in hand to be sure we are aligned with a solution-driven mindset to help Joe achieve his mission and goals. – Alan Kramer
Joe plans to open his first Andy's Frozen Custard location on the Northwest side of San Antonio, at The RIM in the parking lot in front of Bass Pro Shops. Construction is underway and they are scheduled to open their doors in early second quarter of this year.
To ensure that they break ground on schedule, Joe has leaned on Alan to help him think outside the box and solve complex challenges that have come with this particular project and the nontraditional construction loan it required. In Alan, Joe has found the support system he needed to make timely, locally-driven decisions specific to his operations model. Alan’s familiarity with land acquisition and construction in the area, his established relationships in the San Antonio community, and his expertise with structuring unique financing solutions have been essential assets to Joe throughout their partnership.
Alan has been there to answer my calls, quick to help make decisions and change things on the fly. He has been extremely helpful in getting us to the point where we can actually build and construct our first location. – Joe Shields
Alan understands and is aligned with Joe’s vision for growth, and his dedication to development in San Antonio. While Joe is laser-focused on getting his first location up and running, hiring staff and building a business from the ground up, his goal is to put one foot in front of the other until he has multiple locations throughout the city, and Andy’s Frozen Custard is top-of-mind for families who are looking for a place to enjoy a sweet treat together. What Joe appreciates in Alan is that he sees the big picture, and lends his expertise to the daily details without losing sight of the long game that motivates them both—building San Antonio so that future generations are proud to call our culturally rich, and dynamic city home.
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08/27/21
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