Grant Ratliff | Howard’s Jewelry
“In 1983, my business was dwindling and the FDIC had closed my bank,” Grant Ratliff, owner of Howard’s Jewelry recalled. Out of necessity, he turned to USB. “I’m in business today because of USB. They personally walked me through recovery. They’re the bank of CAN, not the bank of CAN’T.”
In fact, Ratliff continued, “they took me on as a customer when other banks wouldn’t, and they treated me like a person. I was’t just an account or a number. I was a human being with hopes and dreams, and they supported them.”
When Ratliff started banking with USB, Howard’s Jewelry had one location, and it was struggling. Today, he has three stores — two in Alabama and one in Georgia — and he’s busy looking for spot for his fourth location right now.
“I’ve got a new 6,000 square foot store and showroom, and looking to add another,” Ratliff said, adding that he couldn’t have expanded and grown without the assistance of USB.
“If you’re a small business person, go talk to them,” he added. “You can’t survive without a strong bank to back you up, and they will. They’ll be there for you.”