JLA Motor Sports
Owner: Andres and Diana Aybar
Location: Reading, PA
Business: Auto Repair/Mechanic
Purpose of Loan: Equipment Purchase and Property Renovations
Impact Area: Economic Security
Andres Mercedes Aybar will tell you that when he arrived in Reading from the Dominican Republic, he came with nothing more than a dream to make something for himself. He found a job doing something he knew – working on cars. He quickly built a loyal list of clients, many also from the Dominican, and saw the opportunity to grow.
In 2014, Andres leased his own stall, and established his business, JLA Motor Sports, LLC. His reputation as a skilled and trustworthy mechanic spread throughout the Latino community. In 2020, when the building he leased went up for sale, Andres and his wife, Diana, knew it was their chance
With a strong business plan in hand, and a referral from a fellow Latino business owner, Andres and Diana Aybar worked with a lender at Finanta in Reading on a loan package to purchase not just the building he was currently leasing, but the adjoining building as well. Finanta provided an SBA (7a) in 2021, and then a commercial loan in 2023 for further expansion.
Andres and Diana believed in their vision for growth, including hiring and training additional mechanics who, like Andres, came to the area with the hope of finding community, stability and financial wellbeing. JLA Motor Sports now employs seven mechanics, providing much needed services as well as a sense of community and belonging for those who enter their shop.