For the first time in decades, Los Alamos businesses have organized under a formal merchant association, a move local owners say is long overdue as they navigate slow seasons, rising costs and the challenges of running small businesses in a rural town.
The Los Alamos Merchant Association was recently formed to bring businesses together, promote collaboration and increase visibility for the historic Bell Street corridor.
For newer residents like Celia Ashworth, the need for that kind of support becomes clear during everyday walks through town.
“I walk, run every single day and most of the time it’s kind of like a ghost town,” Ashworth said. “It makes me wonder, like what these merchants have to do in order to keep their doors open.”
Ashworth said while weekends and holidays bring crowds, much of the week is quiet, a reality that makes Los Alamos businesses heavily dependent on tourism.
That slowdown is something Alison Height, owner of Los Alamos Coffee and Tea and founder of the merchant association, says she experienced firsthand ever since she opened up her shop in September of 2024.
“January, February and March, those are dead zones, really for everybody, but especially for our town, because we’re so small,” Height said.
Height said the idea for the association grew out of a desire to help businesses work together instead of operating in isolation, especially during the slowest months of the year.
“When we collaborate and we all work together, what a difference it makes,” Height said. “We get more excitement, more tourism.”
According to Height, Los Alamos has not had a structured merchant group in many years, leaving businesses without a unified voice when it comes to promotion, long-term planning or advocacy.
Longtime merchants say that sense of collaboration is essential for survival. Christine Gallagher, co-owner of Plenty on Bell, said small margins are a constant reality for businesses on Bell Street.
“It’s not easy,” Gallagher said. “I mean, a business like ours, we operate on a very slim margin.”
Gallagher said her restaurant is currently facing eviction, a situation she says has been emotionally and financially draining. She credits community support with helping her business weather the uncertainty.
“We’re not competitive. We all help each other,” Gallagher said. “And that’s really the spirit of the town.”
Business owners say that spirit is what makes Los Alamos unique and worth protecting as the town continues to evolve. Height said one of the long-term goals of the merchant association is to help keep Los Alamos from becoming just a stop along Highway 101.
“I don’t want Los Alamos to just be a pit stop anymore,” she said. “I want it to be an actual destination.”
The Los Alamos Merchant Association plans to hold its first official merchant meeting later this month and is welcoming additional local businesses to get involved.
