Downtown Alamogordo ready for Small Business Saturday

ALAMOGORDO — Emilia Mack, owner of MDC Computers, recently opened Rocket City Gaming Lounge in an effort to provide gaming of all types to Alamogordo. 

"The concept started as a cyber cafe, because that tied in nicely with what we were already doing with MDC Computers and the more I started to develop that idea, the more I realized we had an opportunity to do a little more with it," Mack said. "When we opened July 1, this was just supposed to be a hangout spot aimed primarily at a slightly older demographic. We have plenty for younger kids to do here in town but for that 13 and up group, it seemed we had some opportunity."

Mack said after Rocket City Gaming Lounge opened, she found many customers enjoyed playing their console games, Virtual Reality gaming, PC games and checking out table top games from their extensive board game library. 

"We started getting regulars and they already had games that they played, such as Magic: The Gathering or Cardfight!! Vanguard, where there's new product coming out at regular intervals," Mack said. "They wanted to be able to purchase those products and they wanted to be able to purchase it here. So while I hadn't intended to get into actual retail sales, that's sort of what we've ended up evolving into and become a traditional hobby shop."

Rocket City Gaming Lounge, located next door to MDC Computers,1200 N. White Sands Blvd., now carries these games as well as the supplies needed for the games, such as sleeves to carry the cards in. 

"We opened in July and I've already had to rearrange my setup twice. I'm getting ready to do it again to accommodate for more playspace and retail space for the gaming lounge side," Mack said. "The growth has been phenomenal and the feedback response from the community has been outstanding, so much so that we're looking at expanding beyond this spot." 

Rocket City Gaming Lounge is one of many local business owners participating in Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25, as part of the Shop Small, Shop Local movement across the nation. While corporations nationwide will open their doors after Thanksgiving for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday urges Americans to go out and support local businesses in their communities while shopping.

"Last year it was pretty successful and some of the small businesses increased their sales by 100 percent," said Director of the Small Business Development Center Trish Livingston. "It's getting bigger and bigger each year." 

Alamogordo MainStreet Executive Director Cam Wilde said small towns nationwide have really latched onto the Shop Small, Shop Local movement and Alamogordo is no different. 

"This year, Alamogordo MainStreet, the Small Business Development Center and the Chamber of Commerce are working closer together to coordinate our events because this is a citywide campaign," Wilde said. "I'd like to think a good focus of it is our downtown district because that's where a lot of our small businesses and retailers are, but it is spread throughout the city. We're looking to have a small event out on New York Avenue to get shoppers down there and businesses participating." 

For more information on Small Business Saturday events in downtown Alamogordo, visit facebook.com/AlamogordoMainStreet.