Spruce Root

The first year can be an especially vulnerable time for a new business. Unexpected expenses can shut down an operation before it even has a chance to turn a profit.

When Deer Heart restaurant opened in Haines last year, a micro loan quickly became a key ingredient for their survival.

Owner Travis Kukull has extensive experience in the restaurant industry, and he knew launching Deer Heart for the 2025 season without a significant cash reserve was a risk. His concerns quickly proved valid, as the restaurant immediately faced a series of expensive hurdles, including mechanical issues, refrigeration repairs, costly employee training, and delays transferring the beer and wine license.

“We were struggling, and so I reached out to Spruce Root and got an SBA micro loan. Spruce Root made the process easy and quick, and that loan helped us survive through those tough moments.

Soon enough, the staff was trained, the restaurant was functioning, and the beer and wine license transferred. By the end of the summer, I was able to pay off the loan completely.”

Now well into its second year, Deer Heart continues to offer an incredible dining experience, rooted in the abundance of the Chilkat Valley. Everything is prepared by hand, beautifully presented, and thoughtfully sourced.

Southeast Alaska is lucky to have restaurants like Deer Heart, and we’re proud Spruce Root can play a role in supporting entrepreneurs with timely capital when they need it most.

Spruce Root offers U.S. Small Business Administration Microloans up to $50,000 for Alaska-based, for-profit businesses. Loans can be used for working capital, machinery, equipment, and other needs. Funding may be available in as little as four weeks.

Learn more about our loan programs: https://spruceroot.org/programs/loan-services/

Our wealth is not measured by what we have, but what we are able to give away.

This Financial Literacy Month we’re asking Spruce Root parents about the money lessons they teach their kids (and how they might apply to us as adults, too!)

Ashley Snookes is Spruce Root’s Senior Credit Officer. She shares that last December, her daughter Aya had big dreams about crafting a lemonade stand in their neighborhood. After the initial plan didn’t bring in the cash she was hoping for, Aya and her mom had a conversation about what other ventures might be more profitable. Aya ended up pivoting to selling hot chocolate on a neighborhood playground.

“She was a lot more successful with the hot chocolate (and ended up learning a helpful lesson about target markets!)” Ashley shares. While Aya has saved up from similar pursuits in the past to buy things for herself, the hot chocolate earnings were for a different purpose. “The reason she wanted to make money in the first place was to be able to buy people Christmas gifts,” says Ashley. Aya’s story reminds us that growing financial literacy skills isn’t only to our own benefit, but for the loved ones and communities who we share our money with.