Starway Business Loans, a small-business funding broker in Valdosta, GA, works with business owners in Lake Park, GA by phone and online. ZIP 31636, which includes Lake Park, had 169 employer establishments and 2,434 paid employees in 2023, led by retail and food service. For Lake Park, GA owners as for everyone, lending partners decide and set rates and terms.
| County | Lowndes County, GA |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 11.4 miles SSE of 122 McKey St |
| ZIP 31636 employers | 169 in 2023 (Census ZBP) |
| Paid employees in the ZIP | 2,434 |
| Largest sectors in the ZIP | Retail (36), accommodation and food services (34) |
Lake Park, GA and the reach of ZIP 31636
Lake Park takes up only 0.8 percent of the land in ZIP 31636 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file). Most of the ZIP, about 61 percent of its land, lies in Echols County, GA, and part of the town of Dasher falls inside it too. So every figure below describes the ZIP as a whole, Lake Park included, and should not be read as a count of businesses inside the town limits.
ZIP 31636 businesses in 2023
| Sector | Establishments | Share under 5 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 36 | 47.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 34 | 20.6% |
| Other services | 16 | 68.8% |
| Construction | 15 | 80.0% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 12 | 83.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023. The ZIP had 169 employer establishments, 2,434 paid employees and $85.9 million in annual payroll. About half of the establishments (50.9 percent) had fewer than five employees.
Bigger crews in food service
One detail stands out. Only about one in five food-service establishments in ZIP 31636 had fewer than five employees, compared with four in five construction firms. The ZIP's 2,434 employees across 169 establishments also works out to roughly 14 per establishment, a higher average than in Hahira's ZIP. Larger food-service and retail operations carry larger payrolls and more equipment, which shapes the funding they look at.
How ZIP 31636 compares with Lowndes County, GA
Food service is far more prominent in this ZIP than in the county. Accommodation and food services made up about 20 percent of the ZIP's employer establishments (34 of 169) but under 10 percent county-wide (281 of 2,872). Retail was slightly more prominent too: about 21 percent of the ZIP's establishments against about 18 percent across the county (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023; U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023).
For funding, that tilt matters. Restaurants and other food businesses take in money daily and spend heavily on equipment and staff, so their requests tend to center on kitchen equipment, refrigeration and short payroll gaps rather than long building projects.
What a partner will want to see
- Recent business bank statements showing daily or weekly deposits.
- For equipment, an itemized quote including installation.
- A current local license or occupation tax certificate in the business's legal or trade name.
- If the business is new or its sales swing, a short explanation of the pattern in your own words.
Funding that tends to fit
- Kitchen and store equipment. Ranges, coolers, shelving and checkout systems are usually financed against the equipment itself; see equipment financing and leasing.
- Stock for retail counters. Shops buying ahead of sales can use inventory financing or a line of credit.
- Payroll gaps. Larger crews mean larger weekly wages; short gaps are what working capital is for.
Lending partners decide whether any of these fit a particular business, and on what terms.
Lake Park, GA paperwork
Partners often ask for a current local business license or occupation tax certificate. Because the ZIP spans two counties, confirm which government covers your address.
Reaching us from Lake Park, GA
Valdosta, GA is about 11 miles away; the street address is 122 McKey St. Most owners start with a phone call. Lowndes County business figures give the wider picture, and nearby Lowndes County towns lists the other communities we work with.
Lake Park, GA sectors our partners fund
Our lending partners have confirmed they fund contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock, and Starway Business Loans works with businesses like these in Lake Park, GA. Each partner still decides case by case.
What to gather before you call
- Business checking statements covering roughly the last quarter or two
- Business and personal tax returns for the latest year
- Government-issued ID for each owner
- Proof of ownership and business registration
- Details of any loans, leases or advances the business already carries
- A written quote or invoice if the money is for equipment
No two partners ask for exactly the same file, so use this as a checklist rather than a rule.
How a request moves forward
- Reach us at (229) 210-0892 or through the contact form. When we call back, the first questions are simple: what the funding is for, how long the business has operated and its rough revenue.
- We walk through the funding types that suit that purpose and the paperwork partners tend to ask for. Nothing goes out until you say so.
- With your permission, we take the request to lending partners that offer that kind of funding. Each partner reviews it and makes its own credit decision.
- If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.
Our address: 122 McKey St, Valdosta, GA 31601.
By Starway Business Loans · Updated
