BY SANDY JONES
Executive Director
Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce
New businesses are popping up, such as Battle Tested Fitness, Nutrition, and Body Contouring, Kylee’s Atomic Fades, Atomic Inks, Chefs 4 You, Bomb Appetit, and more!
The Los Alamos Business Accelerator program, run by Los Alamos MainStreet and the Chamber of Commerce, continues to help entrepreneurs. We have noticed that participants do not give up on their dreams. 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. Atomic Inks participated in the Business Accelerator and now has a business in Los Alamos!
It’s more important than ever to support our local businesses by shopping small and keeping our dollars in Los Alamos & White Rock. 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 Enterprise Bank & Trust Blue Bucks Promotion is happening again this year, with tickets and receipt upload! Shop local for a chance to win (1) $1,000 cash prize, (1) $500 cash prize or (1) $250 cash prize. Each participating business has an equal chance to win $1,000!
Brought to you by Enterprise Bank & Trust, this promotion is active between Friday, November 28th until Saturday, December 13th. Onlineshopping, 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, or they can fill out the back of a blue ticket at merchants who are participating with the traditional “blue bucks”. Winners will be announced the week of Dec 16th. Participating businesses will have a flyer at their location to indicate to shoppers that they are a Blue Bucks business!
Local artists are also supported by the Los Alamos Arts Council’s Gallery Shop. Their “Affordable Arts” offerings include a great assortment of gift options for you. Looking to donate some toys this season? No need to drive to Santa Fe! You can buy toys at White Rock Toys & Gaming, Samizdat Bookstore & Teahouse, Village Arts, PEEC, Nambe Pharmacy, Metzgers, Mesa Top Games, Los Alamos Co-op Market, Gadgets Gift Shop at Bradbury Museum and more!
Many of these businesses also have donation boxes on-site. 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! Sorry, employees of Enterprise Bank & Trust and LACDC are not eligible to win.