By Cassie McClure and Suzanne Michaels
Published in the Las Cruces Bulletin 9/27/19
Need jeans? Cowboy Boots? Work boots? Sunglasses? Shoes? Jewelry? Meet Los Amigos (580 S. Valley Drive, Suite 200-A). This friendly business has welcomed customers on Valley Drive for 16 years, offering a wide variety of clothing for women and men, with rows of pants hanging for easy access and a rainbow of different colored shirts neatly stacked against the wall. Owner Teresa Rueda says Los Amigos specializes in several brands: Dickies shirts and pants, Converse shoes, Cactus and Cebu boots, and Pro Club shirts ranging all the way from small sizes to 10XL.
On this morning, the first customers of the day are just leaving after buying earrings. This shop is packed with bargains, but right now the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) road reconstruction of Valley Drive makes it a little inconvenient for customers to find them. Although the dirt access road opens nearly in front of her store front, Rueda says she’s has lost a good deal of walk-in customers because of the construction.
However, Rueda is optimistic: Los Amigos is running a special “construction incentive” to encourage customers to drop in: Spend $50 and get a set of slippers for free. “When two lanes come back on our side of the road, it could better,” she says. And, when the final phase of Valley Drive road reconstruction is complete, “the lanes will be nicer for everyone.”
If you need a new look, Los Amigos can be the good friend making sure you look good. Monday through Saturday Los Amigos is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday it’s open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you want to special order something, give them a call at (575) 526-1877.
Los Amigos is primed to receive a bright blue road sign for even easier wayfinding in the midst of road reconstruction. The signs are a way for the City of Las Cruces to help guide customers to Valley Drive shops during the final phase of the NMDOT road reconstruction.
Any business on Valley Drive affected by the NMDOT road reconstruction is encouraged to ask for their own personalized street sign, and it’s completely free. Just call Traffic Management at (575) 541-2505. It usually takes a few days to a week to have the new sign installed in front of a business.
Phase 1 and Phase 3 of the NMDOT Valley Drive road reconstruction project are now complete and open to traffic; scheduled completion of Phase 2 is early 2020. The City of Las Cruces encourages residents to continue supporting local businesses and stores on Valley Drive. More information about monthly Valley Drive update meetings at www.valleydrive.net.
CAPTIONS:
PHOTO 1: Teresa Rueda and her sister Maria Lujan look forward to helping you look your best at Los Amigos (580 S. Valley Drive, Suite 200-A). This shop is packed with bargains and parking is still easy, even though it’s on the edge of the NMDOT Valley Drive road reconstruction project.