GRANTS, N.M. — The Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce is putting a playful spin on holiday shopping this year with “Shop Local-Opoly,” a Monopoly- style game designed to send residents all over Cibola County in support of local businesses.
The game launches on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, and runs through Dec. 8. The official board — now completely filled — features about 40 local businesses, from boutiques and food trucks to service providers, real estate offices, and the local hospital.
Players will be able to pick up a game board at participating Chamber member locations. Each “property” on the board comes with a simple requirement: it might be a minimum purchase (for example, $5 or $10 at a boutique), attending an open house at a real estate office, checking in on social media, or stopping by to pick up a swag bag at a business like the hospital.
Every time a player completes a requirement and earns a stamp, they also earn a raffle ticket. Five stamps mean five entries into the prize drawings. Every participating business is donating at least one raffle item, giving players multiple chances to win.
On top of the raffle drawings, there’s a big incentive to keep rolling: the very first person to complete the entire board will win a $400 cash grand prize.
In true board-game fashion, the Chamber has added local twists.
“Go to Jail” cards won’t send anyone to a cell, but they will require players to take a selfie with a local or state police officer to “get out of jail”. Chamber organizers say law enforcement is excited to play along.
“Community Chest” and “Chance” spaces will send participants to recognizable landmarks — including the caboose and the “G” on the hill, encouraging residents to connect not just with businesses, but with the places that define Grants and Cibola County.
Melinda Salazar, President of the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce, said the idea grew out of a family Monopoly night and a desire to refocus the Chamber’s work on helping local businesses.
“I want to get back to what the Chamber is supposed to do,” she said. “The intention is to get locals into our local stores and restaurants so they can see they don’t have to go to Albuquerque for great food or gifts. We have amazing businesses right here at home.”
Full rules for Shop Local-Opoly – including the list of participating businesses and detailed requirements for each square – will be posted on the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce Facebook page and printed on each game board.
The Chamber is encouraging residents to mark their calendars for Nov. 29, pick up a board at a ReMax Elegance, Corely Ford, Mount Taylor Medical Supply, Farmers Insurance on First Street, or Grants Rehabilitation and Wellness and spend the holiday shopping season rolling the dice on Cibola County’s local economy.