A variety of items for sale at the Lobby Shop inside LAMC may now be purchased online. Courtesy photo
A floral pillow for sale at the Lobby Shop inside LAMC may now be purchased online. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY News:
The Lobby Shop is the local hospital gift shop and has been owned and operated by the LAMC Auxiliary for 65 years.
The organization, and subsequently the Lobby Shop, is a non-profit organization, which uses the profit to benefit the community through Auxiliary projects that include high school scholarships, patient assistance with medical and pharmaceutical expenses, LAMC employee education scholarships, patient comfort items, welcome baby gifts and many other offerings.
The Lobby Shop, just inside LAMC, is a bright spot to visit for patients, employees, families, kids, etc. and has become somewhat of a destination shop for community members. The store carries jewelry, toys, ladies clothing, purses, men’s items, baby merchandise, bath and body potions, kitchen and table décor, garden items and many inspirational and gift pieces.
Top brands are sold there, as well as the work of small business artisans.
Interestingly, this business venture is owned and operated by the Auxiliary, and the sales associates are all volunteers. The organization is planning to hire one paid employee in the near future because the shop’s business has grown and the volunteer base is dwindling.
Just like any other small business, the coronavirus has had a huge impact on the Lobby Shop. It has been closed since March 20 and the shop is full of beautiful and interesting merchandise, but has no way to sell it.
After a couple of weeks of no sales income, a worry set it, because there were still bills to be paid. In addition, the Shop was missing sales for Easter, Spring wardrobe, gardening accessories, Mother’s Day, etc. So, a few volunteers put their heads together and hatched a plan to develop a website so their customers could still shop! And though the plan is still a work in progress, the website has been published and has gone live.
The Lobby Shop’s website address is LamcLobbyShop.com and all are welcome to view and peruse. The site accepts all credit cards and PayPal. Purchases can be shipped for a flat fee of $7.50, or until the LAMC hospital can allow curbside pick-up, arrangements can be made for delivery.
The Auxiliary applied for the small business loans offered by the government, but since they do not have employees, they were not granted any funds. The website is the only opportunity the organization has to gather money to meet their expenses during this COVID19 pandemic and shelter in place mandated by the governor.
In support of your small businesses in the Los Alamos community, please consider getting on the website and looking for a new and exciting purchase. They always say, “ if the Lobby Shop doesn’t have it, then you don’t need it.”
