Small Business Saturday in Los Alamos – Support our Businesses Now and All Year Long!
Our small businesses face more competition than ever before. However, we have many reasons to be positive about small business in Los Alamos!
New businesses are popping up, such as Creative Masterpieces, HungryBearNM, Encanto Bistro, Pi Pizzeria and Beef & Leaf.
The Los Alamos Business Accelerator program, run by the Chamber and MainStreet programs, continues to help entrepreneurs prepare to open their businesses. We have noticed that prior year participants do not give up on their dreams; they continue to plan and take steps toward opening their businesses. When you go to a new business, you can be sure they have made a substantial investment in our community. It is no small feat to maintain a storefront, café, or restaurant.
It’s more important than ever to support our local businesses by shopping small and keeping our dollars in Los Alamos & 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.
The award-winning Blue Bucks Promotion is happening again this year, with some changes. Shop local for a chance to win (1) $1,000 cash prize, (1) $500 cash prize or (1) $250 cash prize! As always, each participating business will have a chance to win $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, this promotion is active between Friday, November 29 until Saturday, December 14. Online shopping, takeout and delivered food, and gift cards are all eligible purchases from participating merchants. Buyers will upload their receipts from a participating business to a link on the Chamber of Commerce website. Winners will be announced on Dec. 16. For the full list of businesses participating in the Blue Bucks promotion, visit the Chamber website at LosAlamosChamber.com. Participating businesses will have a flyer at their location to indicate to shoppers that they are a Blue Bucks business. If you own a business and would like to participate, let us know.
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. 27 print edition with you as a reference guide when out shopping as well!
Remember Saturday, Nov. 30th is also a tax-free holiday, depending upon the purchase.
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!
Sincerely,
Sandy Jones