Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Director Ryn Herrmann. Courtesy photo
By RYN HERRMANN
Director
Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce
Our small businesses are still recovering from the effects of COVID and continue to face hiring challenges, inventory shortages, inflation, and more. However, we have many reasons to be positive about small business in Los Alamos!
New businesses are popping up, such as SALA Event Center, which has taken over the old Reel Deal Theater, where they will continue to show movies and will also host events. Mesa Top Games & Toys has co-located with L.A. Bootery at 1247 Central Ave. Yas’ Elevated Jewelry and Gifts is located next to UPEX at 107 Central Park Square. Muy Salsas opened on Trinity Drive and now serves beer, wine and cocktails. 420 Teatime also introduced an edible lounge and tea shop in White Rock with their opening earlier this year. In total, this past year saw over 25 new businesses open, with more expansions and new concepts to come.
For instance, Pyramid Café is renovating their new location in Central Park Square and Pig + Fig Café business owner Laura Crucet will be expanding to downtown Los Alamos in a new bistro concept, Cochon. Both plan to open in early 2023. The Los Alamos Business Accelerator program, run by the Chamber and MainStreet programs, also has two more entrepreneurs successfully open for business in a holiday Pop-up Store located at 181 Central Park Square!
This year Wolf & Mermaid Enchanted Roasters are serving coffee, and Los Alamos Golf & Games is hosting tee times for their indoor golf simulator (reservations at abqgolfandgames.com and click on the Los Alamos tab) and offering other arcade games in the space. They will be open in this location for six weeks to test-drive their business concepts and both hope to find permanent locations in Los Alamos!
The Grand Opening for the Pop-up Stores is 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26. Be sure to visit the four businesses that opened from this program last year as well: Samizdat BookStore & Teahouse, Little Studio on the Mesa, Inspired Jewelers, and Wheeed! (21 and up only). Other entrepreneurs successfully completed the Accelerator program as well but are still fine-tuning their concepts to hopefully one day launch in the community.
It’s more important than ever to support these new businesses and all our existing ones by shopping small and keeping our dollars in Los Alamos and White Rock. Before going online to shop this holiday season, I urge everyone to consider all the special, unique gifts that can be found right here in our community. It’s these types of purchases, and a commitment to shopping local, that will keep our family-owned businesses around for the long term.
Small Business Saturday is an annual celebration in conjunction with the national promotion started by American Express to support local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Started in 2010 by Los Alamos retailer Cyndi Wells, owner of Pet Pangaea, the event has since grown to include many promotions and extended well beyond just the one ‘shop local’ Saturday celebration.
For instance, the Blue Bucks Raffle is happening again this year. For a purchase of up to $25, shoppers will receive one Blue Bucks promotional ticket, then one additional ticket for every additional $25 spent, for a chance to win (1) $1,000 cash prize, (1) $500 cash prize or (1) $250 cash prize! As always, the business that hands out the winning ticket also wins $1,000!
There will also be gift bags that contain gift certificates and merchandise purchased from participating businesses. Brought to you by Enterprise Bank & Trust, the Blue Bucks tickets will be awarded by participating businesses from Friday, Nov. 25, until Saturday, Dec. 10. Online shopping, takeout and delivered food, and gift cards are all eligible purchases from participating merchants. Purchases made on the actual Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, are worth double tickets! Winners will be announced Dec. 13. For the full list of businesses participating in the Blue Bucks promotion, visit the Chamber website at LosAlamosChamber.com, which also features a list of businesses that sell gift cards.
Need other gift inspiration while you’re shopping local? The Los Alamos & White Rock Holiday Shopping Guide is available again this year, brought to you by Del Norte Credit Union. The shopping guide can be found on the Chamber and MainStreet websites, LosAlamosChamber.com and LosAlamosMainStreet.com/WinterFest. It offers all kinds of fun, unique gift ideas from local businesses. Please feel inspired to take the Los Alamos Daily Post Nov. 23 print edition with you as a reference guide when out shopping as well!
Again, this year, look for participating businesses’ Small Business Saturday Highlights on the Daily Post online. Thanks to Enterprise Bank & Trust, this was made available to our local businesses for free!
And don’t forget that Saturday, Nov. 26 also is a tax-free holiday!
I encourage everyone to continue to support our local businesses this Small Business Saturday and holiday season. Someone is still going to win that big prize this year and it could be you! So shop small in Los Alamos and White Rock!
