4 SBA loans have financed Smokers Discount locations since 1995, written by 2 different lenders across 1 states. Half were approved for $50K or less, the mix is almost entirely 7(a), and 75% went to owners whose business was under two years old.
A lender that has already underwritten this brand knows the unit economics, the build-out costs, and the franchisor. That is worth more to you than a bigger bank starting from scratch.