Bahama Bucks
Bahama Bucks Franchise Corporation is owned and operated by father and son, Paul and Blake Buchanan, as well as their long-time friend, Eric Lee. In the summer of 1990, Blake Buchanan opened the first Bahama Buck's. He started with one ice shaver and the hope of a college job that didn't involve mowing grass or flipping burgers.
Constructing the original store by hand, he enlisted volunteer help from three generations of his family, staffed it with friends and college students, and opened the doors. The tropical sensation caught on, and with the help of his wife, Kippi, and his friend, Eric Lee, the summer job turned into a full-time vocation.
Working to keep the spirit of the original Bahama Buck's alive, they make sure that each franchise is operated with the same enthusiasm as the first Buck's. The entire Bahama Buck's team strives to ensure that each flavor becomes a favorite and each visit is a great time, every time.
Bahama Buck’s Franchise Corporation is the franchisor for Bahama Buck’s Original Shaved Ice retail dessert stores. The corporation sells franchise development rights for retail stores as well as products to existing retail stores. Bahama Buck’s specializes in shaved ice, smoothies, coffee, fresh fruit cups, lemonades and soda products. There are now currently 28 retail stores in Texas, Nevada, and New Mexico with dozens of contracts to open new stores in the pipeline.
The borrowers used the SBA 504 program to purchase an existing building to serve as their corporate headquarters. A part of the facility is used for the business offices while a majority of the area will be used as a warehouse to store their inventory. Bahama Bucks sells their inventory of flavorings, paper disposables, and Bahama apparel to their franchisees. The building also includes a model of a Bahama Buck’s store so franchisees can receive realistic training and another portion of the space will be used for light processing and production of new flavors.
From one small shaved ice hut to a new 70,000-square-foot corporate headquarters, Bahama Buck’s owners said after almost 25 years in business the company is now where it should be and continues to grow.