May 2, 2014 - 13:29 AMT
ARTICLE
EFSE success stories. Artsrun Kocharyan: our children deserve the best
“We didn’t hire designers to help us with the interior, but pinned hopes on our taste and fancy,” Kocharyan says proudly.
Malibu children’s entertainment center is situated in Abovyan town of Kotayk province of Armenia. It’s an impressive looking building, the doors of which open to reveal a world of fun and tasty food.

Sona Israelyan and her husband, Artsrun Kocharyan, have two small children, so they did not think long before deciding on the nature of their business that became possible thanks to a USD 15 000 loan from Araratbank, a partner lending institution of the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE).

“All you see around is the result of our own imagination and hard work. We didn’t hire designers to help us with the interior, but pinned hopes on our taste and fancy,” Kocharyan says proudly.

The business is looking well and the couple plans some enlargement in the near future. “We are going to buy more playing machines for our young visitors and also add a bowling hall,” Kocharyan says.

The center that can host over 100 guests at once has 9 employees, including a cook and his assistant, a DJ, an animator, a manager, a cashier, a cleaner and two waitresses. For big events, more waitresses are invited. The center also offers pizza delivery.

“We have an excellent cook, who was trained in the United States. We buy the freshest products, as we make the food for children and they deserve the best. Representatives of health service regularly attend our center to ensure that the hygiene is observed,” Kocharyan says.

He and his wife are completely satisfied with their cooperation with Araratbank, paying off the loan according to the schedule and not ruling out taking a new one.

“We recently celebrated the first anniversary of our entertainment center. Fairy tales heroes toured the town, gifting colorful balloons to the kids around,” Kocharyan beams, confident of future success.

The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) provided the first loan to Araratbank to the amount of $5mln in 2010. The loan is available to the Bank for on-lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) especially in remote and rural areas in Armenia.

“Having Araratbank as a new, strong partner, the Fund will further expand its outreach and will enable the Bank to provide access to over 300 micro and small businesses in the Region,” Chairman of the Board of Directors of EFSE Klaus Glaubitt said at the time.

The project is sponsored by the European Fund for Southeast Europe

Lusine Mkrtumova / PanARMENIAN.Net