Truevale Loans, a small-business funding broker in Reading, Pennsylvania, works from 722 Cherry St in ZIP 19602, which had 187 employer establishments in 2023 (Census ZIP Code Business Patterns). Berks County had 8,521, nearly half with fewer than five employees. Truevale introduces Reading, PA owners to lending partners, which make every credit decision and set rates and terms.
| Office | 722 Cherry St, Reading, PA 19602 (Berks County) |
|---|---|
| ZIP 19602 employers | 187 establishments, 3,842 paid employees (Census ZBP 2023) |
| Berks County employers | 8,521 establishments; 49.1% with under five staff (Census CBP 2023) |
| No-employee businesses | 30,812 in Berks County (Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024) |
| Self-employed residents | Reading 5.5% (±1.0); Berks County 7.7% (±0.4); Pennsylvania 8.2% (±0.1) (ACS 2020-2024) |
| City business forms | Business Privilege License and Business Privilege Tax forms on readingpa.gov |
Where the office sits in Reading, PA
Truevale Loans' address is 722 Cherry St, Reading, PA 19602. The U.S. Census Bureau's geocoder matches that address inside Reading city limits and inside ZIP 19602, one of several ZIP codes that cover the city. We work with owners across the city and county by phone and online; who we are and how to reach us have the details.
Businesses in ZIP 19602, Reading, PA
Census business counts are published by ZIP code, so the office's own ZIP is the closest public snapshot of the surrounding blocks. ZIP 19602 had 187 employer establishments in 2023, with 3,842 paid employees and an annual payroll of about $166.4 million. Some 47.6 percent of those employers had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023).
| Sector | Establishments | Share with under 5 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 38 | 44.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 28 | 14.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 23 | 56.5% |
| Other services | 23 | 87.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 12 | 66.7% |
| Construction | 11 | 54.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 11 | 27.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023. Retail leads, and health care establishments here are larger than average: only one in seven had fewer than five employees. Restaurants and other services skew small. ZIP 19602 is not the whole city, so read these figures as a neighborhood picture rather than a citywide count.
Self-employment in Reading, PA compared with the county
An estimated 5.5 percent of Reading's employed residents were self-employed, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 point, compared with 7.7 percent (plus or minus 0.4) across Berks County and 8.2 percent (plus or minus 0.1) statewide (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024). Even allowing for the margins, the city's rate sits below the county's. Of Reading's self-employed residents, a smaller share ran incorporated businesses (2.2 percent of employed residents) than unincorporated ones (3.3 percent).
Unincorporated owners often meet lenders without a separate entity record, which can lengthen a partner's review. Forming and registering an entity with the Pennsylvania Department of State is one of the steps covered in how to get a business loan in Pennsylvania.
Berks County, PA: the wider business base
Berks County had 8,521 employer establishments in 2023, employing 172,167 people with an annual payroll of about $9.90 billion; 4,180 of those establishments, 49.1 percent, had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Manufacturing paid the largest payroll, about $2.31 billion, while other services had the most establishments, 1,127. The county also had 30,812 businesses with no paid employees in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024), a separate program and year.
For the sectors our partners fund, see construction, restaurants and medical and dental practices, or every sector page.
Reading, PA business license and tax forms
The City of Reading's tax forms page lists a Business Privilege License application with instructions, separate applications for itinerant and landlord business privilege licenses, a Business Privilege Tax form and the tax regulations, plus a business termination form (City of Reading, readingpa.gov, checked 2026-10-16). Questions go to the city's Citizen Service Center. The business privilege checklist explains what to look for, including renewals.
Free help near the office
- Kutztown University SBDC. Part of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers network, serving Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties with no-cost consulting (pasbdc.org, checked 2026-10-16).
- Greater Reading Chamber Alliance. The chamber of commerce and economic development organization for Greater Reading, whose site lists business financing among its development work (greaterreading.org, checked 2026-10-16).
- U.S. Small Business Administration. The Philadelphia District Office in King of Prussia serves Berks County among 40 eastern Pennsylvania counties (sba.gov, checked 2026-10-16).
None of the three is affiliated with Truevale Loans. Links and more detail are in Berks County small business resources.
Buying a business in Reading, PA
Owners who search for businesses for sale in Reading, PA usually need two things: a clear picture of the seller's books and a way to pay. Acquisitions are commonly financed with term loans, with equipment in the deal sometimes handled through equipment financing. Before any partner reviews it, have the purchase agreement, the seller's tax returns and a UCC search on the seller in hand.
Funding that fits Reading, PA businesses
Retailers buying ahead of the holidays, clinics waiting on insurers, and kitchens that need a new hood each point to a different structure. Start with the six options compared or the one most Reading owners ask about first, working capital. Owners outside the city can see the communities we serve across Berks County.
Who Truevale Loans works with in Reading, PA
Our partners have confirmed appetite for four kinds of business: contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices, and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock. If your Reading, PA business is something else, call and ask before you spend time on paperwork.
Paperwork partners commonly ask for
- Business checking statements covering roughly the last quarter or two
- Last year's filed tax return for the business
- An up-to-date P&L and balance sheet, even if you prepare them yourself
- A driver's license or passport for each owner
- Your articles of organization or incorporation and the EIN letter
- For equipment, the seller's quote with make, model and price
Each lending partner sets its own list, so treat this as a starting point.
The steps after your first call
- Reach us at (610) 492-6359 or through the contact form. When we call back, the first questions are simple: what the funding is for, how long the business has operated and its rough revenue.
- You hear which options match the need and what a partner will likely want to review. We submit nothing without your approval.
- After you give the go-ahead, we share the request with suitable lending partners, and each one decides on its own.
- Any offer comes from the partner. Read the total cost, the payment schedule and the terms before deciding; turning it down is always an option.
Truevale Loans is based at 722 Cherry St, Reading, PA 19602.
By Truevale Loans · Updated