From left, Leslie, Yasmin and Dustin are called the best group of employees ever! Courtesy photo
BUSINESS News:
UPEX, at 108 Central Park Square, is participating in Small Business Saturday. When Shoppers bring in their passport to be stamped between Nov. 29 and the end of Winterfest Dec. 7, they will be helping UPEX celebrate its 16th year in business.
Originally operating as “LA Express,” UPEX was founded Dec. 6, 1998, by Ernie Bennett, a former UPS account executive assigned to Northern New Mexico. Back in 1998, if someone in Los Alamos wanted to ship an air package after 2:30 p.m., they were forced to drive to Santa Fe in order to ship it. The opening of UPEX immediately changed that with Ernie personally driving all air packages from Los Alamos to Santa Fe or Albuquerque.
Ernie drove the air shipments every weeknight to the UPS Air Recovery Dock and to the FedEx Center every Saturday since the two major carriers didn’t feel Los Alamos had the volume to warrant a late pick up or a Saturday pick up.
In 2001 and 2002, Los Alamos honored UPEX by making it UPS’ Top Air Shipper for New Mexico. In 2003, FedEx said UPEX was their top shipper in New Mexico and Colorado. In April 2003, UPEX lowered its rates below the UPS customer counter and UPS store rates.
UPEX has since opened a wholesale packaging supply company and offers Los Alamos better rates on boxes and packaging supplies than anyone in the state. During Small Business Saturday, customers can enjoy a 10% discount on top of the already low prices on boxes, tape, and bubble wrap. Greeting cards will be buy-one get-one-free, and customer appreciation punch cards will be distributed that provide the shopper with up to $10 off products and services.
UPEX also offers low prices on color and black and white copies using high quality digital equipment. Additionally, mail box rentals are available.
UPEX is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and may offer expanded holiday hours.
UPEX will be donating 5 percent of its proceeds from Small Business Saturday to Friends of the Shelter.
