Mike Weber has been a musician his whole life. He knows what it sounds like when the timing is perfect.
So when the owner of the well-known instrument shop Music Go Round (located in Wilkes-Barre, PA) mentioned that he and his wife were pondering retirement, it was music to Mike’s ears.
Music Go Round is part of the Winmark family of buy-sell-trade franchises, a concept built on the idea that guitars, drums and keyboards deserve a second life. For 25 years, the store was a fixture of the local music community. The kind of place where a kid could walk out and start jamming on his first guitar and where a touring musician could find a rare amp before that night’s show. Mike had been a customer for years. He knew the store. He knew the people. He knew its worth.
What he didn’t know was whether a lender would see it the same way.
“I started going to lenders around me and was just not getting any replies,” he said. “They’d say, ‘Oh, we can’t get you that much.'”
Then a referral changed everything.
That introduction changed the tune, guiding Mike and his wife, Bridget, to First Internet Bank and the conversation that put the deal back on track.
Bridget comes from a different world than Mike — hospitality rather than music — but her instincts around running a business are just as sharp. Her family has owned and operated inns in the region for years. She knows how to read a room, manage a team and spot an opportunity worth betting on.
Together, they made a case for the acquisition that went beyond the numbers. They were buying something with real roots: loyal regulars, a trained staff of working musicians and a reputation that had taken a quarter century to build. First Internet Bank’s Small Business Administration (SBA) lending team understood what that was worth.
With guidance from the bank’s business development officer, the path forward came into focus. A thoughtfully structured SBA 7(a) loan allowed Mike to use retirement savings for the required capital injection, while First Internet Bank’s Preferred Lender status helped expedite the process through a centralized, secure platform where every document and signature was handled in one place.
“Anytime there was a question, it got answered right away,” Mike said. “Everything was in one spot. They made working together really easy.”
Then everything paused. When the federal government shut down, the SBA — the federal agency that reviews and finalizes SBA 7(a) loans — shut down as well. Days stretched into weeks. The agreed-upon closing date came and went, and the deal that once felt close was stranded, caught in a process no one could advance.
What saved the deal was preparation. With every document organized and ready, First Internet Bank didn’t lose a moment when the SBA reopened. A closing specialist grabbed the file and drove it to closing.
“She said, ‘When do you want to close?’” Mike recalled. “I gave her the date, and she made it happen.”
Mike and Bridget’s loan closed on Dec. 19, 2025.
Walk into Music Go Round today, and it feels distinctly new. The layout is cleaner. The wall displays are intentional. A staff member with experience from a national instrument retailer now manages daily social media content, while a partnership with a local radio station introduces the store to a younger audience every Sunday. Plans are already underway for school instrument programs, in-store unplugged performances, and, when the timing is right, a second location in Scranton.
The former owner still stops by from time to time. He notices what’s changed—and what hasn’t. The guitar he pointed out on his first visit back is still there, held aside for him whenever he wants it.
“Without this loan, none of this would have ever happened,” Mike said. “First Internet Bank made sure everything was ready and stayed with it the whole way. When things got messy or slowed down, they didn’t disappear—they kept everything organized, kept communicating, and made sure we were positioned to move the moment we could. It was a great team of specialists who knew how to get it done.”
For small business owners pursuing an acquisition, complicated moments are inevitable. What makes the difference is a lending partner willing to stay engaged and keep things moving. First Internet Bank did exactly that, aligning expertise, preparation, and timing until every part of the deal came together. When it mattered most, they helped turn uncertainty into harmony.