In Almyra, Arkansas, Murphy’s Bakery and Burgers, a new food truck owned by Misha Murphy, is filling a long-standing community need.

This venture also fulfills Murphy’s long-time dream and starts a new chapter for Almyra. Known for her exceptional baking, Misha began in 2017, selling bread from her home and building a loyal customer base. “This has been my dream since I was young. It’s why I went to college in the first place.”

With a business administration degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, Misha was ready to turn her passion into a thriving business. Her goal had always been to expand her home-based bakery into a full-fledged business.

“The real dream was to start with a food truck and eventually open a brick-and-mortar,” Murphy said.

This dream moved forward with help from Communities Unlimited (CU). Misha and her husband Nick were exploring how to start their food truck when a neighbor mentioned wanting more local food options in Almyra on Facebook.

Inspired by the comment, Misha shared their food truck plans more widely. Chantel Poor, a Community Facilitator on CU’s Community Sustainability Team who lives two houses away, saw the post and suggested Misha check out CU.

Amanda Fisher, who runs Apple Blossom Boutique & More in nearby DeWitt, also used CU to get a loan for her business, encouraging Murphy to do the same. Misha ultimately chose to partner with CU as a client. Poor then strategically blended Murphy’s Bakery and Burgers with CU’s Entrepreneurship Team and consultant James Custer.

“I told our Lending and Entrepreneurship Teams about her existing bakery and her amazing bread, some of the best I’ve ever had,” Poor said.

“I knew she'd do incredible things. It was a wonderful experience working with someone from my community and my CU family."

Chantel Poor

— Chantel Poor, CU Community Facilitator

Murphy initially lacked a clear business plan, so when she and Custer started their engagement, they used the business model canvas to help her develop a strategy. An essential step in this process was creating financial projections, which were crucial for securing a CU loan for her food truck.

“We went back and forth on costs, loan amounts, expected sales, pricing, and costs of goods sold,” Custer said. Writing it all down was important for clarifying her vision.”

After confirming the business model was viable, Custer referred Murphy to the Lending Team and Area Director Debra Williams. Murphy’s Bakery and Burgers secured a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan on May 31, 2024, enabling the business to start serving the Almyra community.

“Simplifying her plan helped her focus on her strengths, like burgers and sandwiches, and identify her target customers.
“Simplifying her plan helped her focus on her strengths, like burgers and sandwiches, and identify her target customers." - James Custer

After confirming the business model was viable, Custer referred Murphy to the Lending Team and Area Director Debra Williams. Murphy’s Bakery and Burgers secured a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan on May 31, 2024, enabling the business to start serving the Almyra community.

“Misha’s sharp. She’s on it,” Williams said. “She’s got a vision and she’s executing it flawlessly. With her careful, methodical approach, she’s ensuring every step is done right. I’m so excited for her. I have no doubt whatsoever she’s going to be extremely successful.”

After a long-time general store owner in Almyra retired, the need for a local eatery grew. The store, which offered groceries and a café, had been a central hub. When it closed, the town lost a prominent place. Murphy’s food truck aims to fill this gap by offering burgers, fries, sandwiches with her fresh bread, baked goods, and merchandise like coffee cups.

As soon as people in town heard about their food truck, Misha and Nick got many requests from eager community members. DeWitt has limited dining options, and while Stuttgart has a few more, the variety is limited, making new food trucks a welcome addition.

The truck will be stationed at a lot owned by Misha’s in-laws, close to her home and well-known to locals. Located near the post office and two duck clubs, it will serve both residents and the many hunters who visit Almyra.

Misha Murphy thanked CU for making her dream possible.

“Chantel has been wonderful, always sending me encouraging messages and cheering me on, it’s been a fantastic experience. James was also great in all our meetings, always helpful and ready to answer any questions I had. He helped me simplify my business plan.”

"Overall, working with Communities Unlimited has been amazing. I want to thank everyone for believing in us and cheering us on. It just makes me feel so welcomed.”

— Misha Murphy, Owner Murphy’s Bakery and Burgers