For Erin Sparks, the ripple effect created by her purchase of a 1950s pink velvet sofa that once served the library of an all-women’s college led her business to grow from a home-based operation to an 8,000-square-foot warehouse. Erin used our fixed asset loan to purchase the facility, which is now the new home of Sparks Vintage Rentals.

When Sparks saw the sofa at the flea market, she thought, “People would want this for their wedding or a photo shoot.” That’s when her idea for a furniture rentals business was born. That was in 2012, but Sparks Vintage Rentals didn’t fully launch until 2018, when it began operating from the basement of Sparks’ home. 

While the business initially focused on renting furniture for weddings, special events, and photo shoots, a friend selling a home asked Sparks to stage it for him. She agreed, and it quickly sold. That was when “home staging became a little sister to our rentals business,” the music major explained. She anticipated, at most, a 50/50 mix between the lines of business. However, more home staging projects led to an increasing number of realtors requesting the service, and it grew.

Although the business eventually moved from Spark’s basement into leased space, it ultimately required a larger warehouse to hold enough inventory to meet demand. After finding the right building to purchase, Sparks met with her banker to discuss loan options. He had partnered with BrightBridge Capital to provide SBA 504 loans to other clients and introduced her to us to offer the loan for purchasing the building. 

While this was Spark’s first introduction to BrightBridge, the business owner described her experience working with us, saying, “They made the process easy. They were kind and relatable... and made it as easy as possible for me.”

Now operating from its larger warehouse, Spark Vintage Rentals’ special event and wedding rentals have rebounded. However, Spark’s relationships with realtors and developers mean home staging remains a significant part of the business. She hopes to see rentals even out, but shared that “seeing a home transform from empty rooms to a magazine-worthy designed space within hours is just magic. We all love it.”