GRANTS, N.M. Grants MainStreet held their quarterly peer-to-peer at the 1912 Market, in which local business owners and community can come together to share insights to strengthen the MainStreet District, whether it be sharing ideas or discussing challenges and opportunities.
Kevin Branham, the former owner of the 1912 Market and the father of the current one, shared that an Airbnb, located above the market, has already seen some success, with bookings rolling in shortly after opening.
Furthermore, there are plans to establish a title office in collaboration with a new tenant, enhancing the market’s role as a multifunctional space in the district.
Pete Perez, the owner of Custom Etching Gifts, which he launched during the challenging times of the pandemic in 2020, explained that his business focuses on customized gifts, featuring services like laser engraving, leatherwork, and apparel, catering to a diverse clientele. Recently, Pete expanded his operations by taking over the former Package Express location, diversifying his offerings even further. In an exciting development for Custom Etching, Pete was selected as one of the featured businesses for the New Mexico Main Street’s Route 66 Centennial Passport initiative, which includes unique stickers representing participating businesses. This recognition not only enhances local visibility but also provides significant promotional opportunities, bringing more foot traffic to the area.
Terry Fletcher from the New Mexico Mining Museum. He shared that the museum is often seen as an anchor downtown, contributing to the cultural richness of the area. Highlighting their recent achievement, Terry announced that the museum has received a $10,000 Creative Industry Grant to develop an increase reality experience. This innovative project aims to enhance visitor engagement, allowing individuals to immerse themselves in the mining history of the region through interactive displays.
Lionel McKinney, a local jewelry designer, explained that he wants to expand jewelry production in the community, as he mostly sells to different cities.
The new owner of Enchantment explained that they teach meditation and related practices like self healing.
The owner of Badlands Bakery, Kamie, was present as well. She explained that she wants to establish a product rotation schedule, experiment with different flavors, and seeks support in spreading word about the bakery. The baked goods include gluten-free, sugarfree, and more options. It was also mentioned that data analysis shows that a bakery is a high-potential business for Grants.
A private security person from Albuquerque offered to establish a group to assist the “very small police force.” He explained that they could hire local people who are interested in helping to protect the city, and would undergo special training. He explained that it would be about $1,000 a week, but would be cheaper with more people participating. The people could patrol regularly, or be hired for local events.
MainStreet director Denise Hanson explained that they applied for the $119,000 Cooperative Marketing Grant through the City of Grants and were awarded it to promote Grants through social media and other channels. “So, hopefully you all have seen, it’s really picked up on social media… a lot of individuals are going to Pinterest to plan out there vacation. The city manager has me tasked with mural tours, museum tours… a lot of things [are] coming to fruition from a tourism side. We’re also networking with all the other states from the Route 66 centennial look at the land… I’m working with RV groups, classic car groups, tour groups, a lot of different things.”
Hanson addressed a question that was raised concerning abandoned buildings along Route 66, “We were just in with the city manager and the goal is to have those down by the end of the fiscal year, which ends June 30th.”
Hanson explained that the City of Grants is actively working on tourism initiatives, including mural and museum tours, and networking with other states and international groups. The goal is to increase awareness of Grants’ attractions and business, encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more money in the community.
Hanson ended the meeting by stating, “In April, everyone invite another person that [hasn’t been] here so we can continue to grow because, you know, together, we're just so much stronger.”