Barang Avenue
David and Jaclyn Chia, Owners
Johnson, Arkansas

David and Jaclyn Chia opened their first small business in September of 2007. Barang Avenue is a clothing store in Johnson, Arkansas, that offers brand name clothing at discount prices.

The Chias started their search for small business information on the web, and found the University of Arkansas Small Business Development Center. David worked closely with Larry Brian, Center Director, to develop the company's business plan. He also attended several SBDC seminars, on topics such as business planning, marketing, and financial management, which he found very helpful in preparing him for business ownership.

"Because we did not have business degrees, the ASBDC programs-both training and consulting-gave us vital information for getting the business started," said David. "It also let us know what risks we were taking by opening a small business." The Chias worked with Brice Richard at Arvest Bank and received $90,000 to open their business.

Since opening, the Chias have focused their efforts on advertising and it has paid off. They have a lot of repeat customers and are continually looking for new and innovative ways to market to potential customers to help widen their customer base.

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The Arkansas Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran’s status, or disability.