Member Moments: The Support Needed to Run a Business

When it was time to open an account for her business, Marlene Nah, owner of African Foods & Gifts in Crystal, Minnesota, knew she could trust Affinity Plus to take care of her and her business.

“I’ve dealt with Affinity Plus for many years on a personal level,” Marlene said. “I’ve always loved Affinity. They are very personable and client oriented. People know your name.”

Marlene opened African Foods & Gifts in October 2015. It’s a unique business, known especially for its local, African and international cuisines. All of the food is prepared with all-natural ingredients and a delicious blend of African herbs and spices.

The business started off small as a grocery store with only a smaller deli section, but last year African Foods & Gifts flipped operations, to be more of a deli with a small grocery section. And they also have African gifts available for purchase.

For Marlene, community involvement as a business owner is pivotal. It’s important to feel a sense of togetherness, she said, especially after facing challenges with the pandemic.

“We support the community by attending events that the city of Crystal puts together,” Marlene said. “We provide food and donate to various community events, and we’ve been able to expand the community of our business by banking with Affinity Plus.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic hit everyone hard, Marlene included. She knew she needed to make some adjustments to her business, so Marlene decided to open a business account with Affinity Plus for African Foods & Gifts last year.

Convenience was a major reason Marlene chose to open her business account, especially with the New Hope branch located near the store. Marlene said it was the ideal location for both her and her store.

Affinity Plus gave the business its first PPP Loan during the pandemic, helping Marlene pay for operations. The loan helped immensely, she said, especially during such a difficult time, and getting the loan through Affinity Plus was easy.

“There were no overarching problems, no long waits, and they were incredibly responsive,” Marlene said. “They made the process really smooth.”

Support from Affinity Plus has allowed Marlene’s business to continue to run successfully, and she is continually impressed with the member-centered mission of Affinity Plus. She’s experienced this human-first approach now in her personal banking, but also in her business banking, and it remains her favorite aspect about banking with Affinity Plus.