Offering take-out options has been an essential tool for these industries to maintain their cash-flows, until the public can gather once again and enjoy all the culinary options Syracuse has to offer. Hope seems nearly here as New York slowly re-opens in a strategically phased approach.

Courtney Hourigan has been an employee of MoonDance Restaurant & Tavern for the past 11 years. She began working there at the age of 18, and she has learned every facet of the business over the past decade. When the current owner, Frank Mincolla, was ready to sell the business and move into retirement, Courtney saw her opportunity. But she had no idea how she would proceed with the purchase, or even where to start.

After searching online, Courtney found the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and started to work with Certified Business Advisor, Keyona Kelly in 2018. “Keyona was great from the very beginning. She gave us really simple, easy examples and instructions that laid out the steps for us to take in order for us to start buying a business. She (Keyona Kelly) led us to the legal, CPA and insurance professionals we needed for the purchase to get us on the right path to where we are today.” Keyona worked with Courtney and her husband to develop a business plan and financial projections. She helped them understand the profitability and assess the value of the business before pursuing the purchase.