PEZ CANTINA

EMPLOYEES: 60
JOBS CREATED BY LOAN: 45
LOAN AMOUNT: $400,000

Pez Cantina is a Coastal Mexican-style restaurant and bar that serves sea-to-land dishes in an oasis-type atmosphere. The owners, Bret and Lucy Thompson, opened the 125- seat restaurant after being inspired by the cuisine in Baja California and Lucy’s family dishes from Mexico. 

Bret Thompson credits IBank’s SBLGP for helping his dream for the restaurant become a reality. “Without our state guaranteed loan, we could not have opened Pez. Perhaps we could have chosen a different location and smaller footprint. Certainly it would not have been the same Pez Cantina we have today” said Thompson. 

Through a $400,000 loan with the help of IBank’s SBLGP administered by the Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County through lender Pacific Premier Bank, Pez Cantina has created 45 jobs. The eatery celebrated its first anniversary in January 2016.