You are rushing to get the last minute gifts or groceries for Christmas, but you cannot seem to find a parking spot. No one can see the yellow lines that mark the parking spots so everyone is just parking anywhere they can.

Almost three years ago Samuel and Valerie Rucker decided to start their own family business. It is called After Hours Striping. They are the ones you see in the parking lot after hours making sure you can park in the parking lot the next day when you are at the grocery store or even on Main Street. There are no limits to their striping work and they are willing to drive the miles to help your business or city for whatever parking needs you have.

In 2011 Samuel quit working for the City of Lawton after being with them for five years and began doing this business full-time. He does it during the day and evening, seven days a week. Located in Lawton their family owned business is willing to travel wherever the business takes them. “We have traveled as far as 140 miles and willing to travel where the work takes us,” said Valerie. When necessary, their children help out, but for the most part it is Samuel doing the hard work during the day and Valerie who comes to help him after she gets done with her full-time job.

Valerie is a Comanche Nation Tribal member who heard about Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation’s Commercial Loans through the Small Business Bureau. When asked how much we have helped with her business she said, “it was great help, for instance, the loan helped purchase more equipment so we may be able to do more than just stripe parking lots”.

Samuel & Valerie do more than just stripe parking lots. They do new layouts of parking lots, re-stripe previous stripes, and are able to remove stripes, as well as power wash parking lots.

Valerie stated that their family is what drives them to do this business. The hope that one day they will be able to pass this along to their children and they will be able to continue profiting from what she and Samuel have built.

If you are interested in giving your parking lot a fresh new look give Samuel or Valerie a call for an estimate at 580-483-4742 and they would be more than happy to help you with your parking lot needs.

CPCDC has provided many loans over the previous years like this one to Valerie and Samuel to help out Native American owned small businesses. For more information about your small business needs or credit counseling please contact us at 405-878-4697.