An entrepreneur since 1993, Joyce Hosea has plenty of experience as a small business owner. Before her latest venture, Cheese Platters and More, she had a good idea of what she would need to be successful, which brought her to Business Impact NW. The biggest need? Startup capital. As the owner of The Melding Pot commissary kitchen, located right across the street from Business Impact NW’s office, Joyce was aware of our services before needing to use them herself. When the opportunity arose to open Cheese Platters and More, she knew just where to go. Senior VP & Chief Credit Officer Sunil Nair worked with Joyce throughout the loan process, eventually providing her with the capital she needed to start marketing her new venture and make improvements on the space. 
Like the name implies, Cheese Platters and More isn’t just about cheese. Joyce had the idea since a similar business closed in 2004. She saw the opportunity not only to provide high quality “urban Italian” deli items, tapas, dry goods, beer and wine to customers, but to open a place where people can sit down and enjoy the experience of talking to their neighbors and sharing a meal. Food “puts everybody in a happy place” she says, and hopes this location is a hub for people to connect as well as get what they need.
Though the idea was always there, she knew the location would inform the rest of the business. Finding the perfect space in Seattle’s Central District at 2717 E Union st. made the details fall into place. Cheese Platters and More is currently planning to open its doors this month and with a marketing campaign in full swing, as well as asking neighbors for input on what they’d like to see, there’s no doubt the return on this investment will pay off in multiple ways.