Pictured at the fireside chat panel September 15 at Northern New Mexico College are, from left, Pat Vanderpool – Executive Director of the Regional Development Corporation, Scott Baird – co-owner of Wolf & Mermaid, Jacquelyn Connolly – Executive Director of Los Alamos MainStreet and Creative District, and Patrick Duran – LANL Community Partnerships Office. Courtesy photo
Pat Vanderpool – Executive Director of the Regional Development Corporation listens to Scott Baird – co-owner of Wolf & Mermaid. Courtesy photo
LACDC NEWS RELEASE
Los Alamos small business and Chamber of Commerce member, Wolf & Mermaid Enchanted Cafe, is expanding even further beyond its one Los Alamos location and two Santa Fe locations.
Last week at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Regional Development Corporation (RDC)-hosted Regional Business Opportunities Summit, the local Los Alamos business co-owned by Scott Baird and Kate Kudynska, was celebrated as the new food and beverage contractor for LANL.
The LANL contract to run multiple LANL cafes, grab-and-go locations, and full-service cafeteria is anticipated to more than double the Wolf & Mermaid staffing regionally, according to Baird.
The Wolf & Mermaid business evolution is an example of how a business can start and grow in the Los Alamos business ecosystem, first bringing its small-batch, single-origin, freshly roasted coffee to local farmers’ markets, and later expanding its baked goods like the green chile cheese croissants and specialty muffins, to the region. The business operation, which started with the two owners just five years ago, expanded to a staff of five upon their opening of the Los Alamos location in 2023 and has 47 employees today, intending to reach a staff of 60 by the end of the year.
From Farmers’ Market Beginnings to a Growing Regional Business
Wolf & Mermaid Enchanted Cafe began its local business journey at the Los Alamos Farmers’ Market in June, 2022 after starting at other regional markets and being recommended to participate in Los Alamos’ market. It was at the Los Alamos Farmers’ Market where Wolf & Mermaid first introduced its concept to the Los Alamos community and began building relationships with local customers. What started as a Farmers’ Market presence provided an important opportunity to test the concept, gather feedback, develop a loyal customer base, and discover the potential for a larger brick-and-mortar venture.
As interest in Wolf & Mermaid grew, the business took its next step through the Los Alamos Business Accelerator, run by the Los Alamos MainStreet & Creative District program with support from the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce. Through this Accelerator, the business gained access to resources, mentorship, and a broader entrepreneurial network designed to help local businesses move from an emerging idea toward sustainable growth. Participation in the Accelerator marked an important transition for the company: connecting with local resources and processes, providing a foundation for refining its business model, funding for equipment, and preparing for a permanent location.
That work culminated in the opening of a pilot brick-and-mortar through the Accelerator’s pop-up programming in the Fall of 2022. After the 7-week pop-up’s success, Wolf & Mermaid Enchanted Cafe opened its permanent Los Alamos location in October 2023, following a short stint operating from Bathtub Row Brewing Co-op in the mornings while renovations of the brick-and-mortar were underway.
The Los Alamos location, 181 Central Park Square, subsequently became a launching point for the company’s next phase of growth. Building on the customer base, brand identity, and lessons developed in Los Alamos, Wolf & Mermaid expanded its reach into Santa Fe, opening up two more locations, including a concession outlet at the Santa Fe Regional Airport.
The progression, from a booth at the Los Alamos Farmers’ Market, through the Los Alamos Business Accelerator program, to a permanent storefront and regional expansion, illustrates the impact a strong local business ecosystem can have on helping entrepreneurs turn an initial concept into a growing small business and to help retain their local presence even as they expand regionally. Along the way, Wolf & Mermaid also received assistance from other local resources and multiple grants through the Regional Development Corporation. This included an RDC microgrant to purchase an oven to make their pastries, and an RDC TEAM Fund grant to purchase a coffee bagging machine.
“We see that small infusions of grants make a pretty significant impact for a small business,” said Patrick Duran, of the LANL Community Partnerships Office, referring to his office’s support of the RDC and their small business awards.
The Los Alamos Business Accelerator would not have been possible without key founding sponsors including Triad National Security, LLC and the LANL Community Partnerships Office, grant funding and support through the New Mexico Economic Development Department LEADS program, as well as Enterprise Bank and Trust, New Mexico MainStreet, Del Norte Credit Union, and the New Mexico Resiliency Alliance.
Other successful businesses that have come out of the Business Accelerator have included Inspired Jewelers, Samizdat Bookstore & Teahouse, Wheeed, h-bar Coffee, Hungry Bear Café, Pi-239 Pizzeria, and the upcoming multi-service business concept, The Rock, along with several expansions.
“The support of the overall community, and especially the County, the LACDC, Los Alamos MainStreet and Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce has been a key to our success,” said Baird and Kudynska, co-owners of Wolf and Mermaid at their opening in 2023.
Following up this month, Baird shared that, “Los Alamos…MainStreet and the Chamber of Commerce really helped get our feet under us. The pop-up store is where we got our start! Thank you to all the staff at MainStreet and the Chamber of Commerce for their hard work and dedication and seeing things through!”
Los Alamos MainStreet & Creative District is continuing its Business Accelerator and has expanded to offer an Incubator program held within its MainStreet MarketPlace, located at 168 Central Park Square in Los Alamos. The Incubator, sponsored by Enterprise Bank and Trust, provides a dedicated space for temporary storefronts so businesses can test the market, reduce initial startup costs, and move into permanent locations after a year. For more information about this and other local business support, visit https://losalamosdevelopment.
About Los Alamos MainStreet and Creative District:
As an award-winning district in the state of New Mexico, Los Alamos MainStreet & Creative District (LAMSCD) focuses on the town’s connections to a multi-layered history and cutting-edge science by facilitating community events, entrepreneurial programs and support for the local business community that contributes to the vitality of its two designated districts: one in downtown Los Alamos and one in the commercial area of White Rock. It also oversees MainStreet MarketPlace, a coworking and business development hub, and the Los Alamos Farmers’ Market. Visit LosAlamosMainStreet.com for more information.
About Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC) is a private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization founded in 1983. LACDC serves as the umbrella organization for Los Alamos MainStreet & Creative District, Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, Discover Los Alamos, Los Alamos Small Business Center, and Los Alamos Research Park. Visit LosAlamosDevelopment.com for more information.