HONOLULU (HI Now) – Growing a small business in Hawaiʻi is exciting, but it can also feel like a nonstop guessing game, especially when it comes to financing your next big move. The why behind CPB Money Moves is simple. Local businesses need a bank that is more than a lender. They need a real partner who knows the community and shows up with guidance, tools, and a relationship that lasts.
That is exactly what Central Pacific Bank is all about, says Sharene Urakami-Oyama, VP and Small Business Market Manager at CPB. She shares that CPB treats a business loan as the beginning of a long-term connection, with ongoing resources to help owners thrive right here at home. Whether you are opening your first doors or gearing up to expand, CPB offers lending options tailored to different stages of growth, including a special 7.50% APR on fixed-rate business term loans.
For Mercado de la Raza co-owners Alex Villarino and Megahn Chun, that kind of support helped turn momentum into a confident next step. They started with a mission to bring authentic flavors and products to the community, and quickly found demand growing fast. Like many local businesses, they faced Hawaiʻi-specific challenges like higher costs and the need for more space, so access to capital became the key to expanding operations and opening a second location…