BUSINESS News:
Dozens of small businesses and non-profits in Los Alamos and White Rock will offer specials and in-store events to celebrate Small Business Saturday Nov. 29 – a national initiative designed to support small businesses during the holiday season.
This year, the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce will distribute Small Business Saturday Passports to as many as 40 participating merchants for shoppers to pickup and use as a guide to find other participating businesses. Between Saturday, Nov. 29 and Sunday, Dec. 7 (Winterfest), shoppers will be able to gather as many passport stamps as possible from businesses. The fully stamped passports can then be turned in at any participating merchant by Dec. 7 to be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a gift card package from local stores.
New this year, several home-based business are banding together to create a pop-up retail space at 170 Central Park Square in Los Alamos. These businesses will share the space so they can spend face-to-face time with shoppers and showcase their unique products and services.
Unique to Los Alamos on Small Business Saturday, participating businesses are encouraged to give a portion of the day’s sales to local nonprofits. CB FOX, for example, is donating 5 percent of its profits to the United Way of Northern New Mexico. Pet Pangaea will again give 10 percent of gross sales to Friends of the Shelter.
Shopping locally not only provides a more convenient and personal experience but supports the local economy and builds a tight-knit community. A wide-ranging group of local Los Alamos and White Rock businesses, along with United Way of Northern New Mexico, are coordinating the effort.
American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help businesses with their most pressing need – getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Last year, $5.7 billion was spent on Small Business Saturday, and seven of 10 consumers surveyed said they were aware of the day, according to American Express.
For more information about Small Business Saturday, visit: smallbizsatla.com. For general information about Los Alamos including the upcoming “Winterfest,” check out visitlosalamos.org.
