Jan 11, 2018

LA Mart aids Southern California fire and mudslide victims

This winter, thousands of LA Mart customers have been dealt a severe blow by the recent outbreak of raging  fires and crippling  mudslides. Because of these, many stores were forced to be temporarily out of business for  up to two  weeks during the ever-important shopping month of December and have been further crippled by the recent mudslides. In the wake of these horrific events besieging Southern California’s  Santa Barbara county, LA Mart is giving direct donations to victims of this recent catastrophe.   

Millions  of dollars in holiday commerce were lost in these natural disaster areas due to store closings, the absence of tourist dollars, and because many of their regular holiday shoppers had lost everything in these natural disasters.   With Winter Market happening in just over a week, LA Mart wants to do what it can by reaching out to the retail, gift, home, and lifestyle stores in the burn  and mudslide areas to offer them financial  assistance.   

“These are our hometown retail stores,” stated Frank Joens, Sr. Vice President, General Manager, LA Mart.  “These long-time customers are, in many cases,  the retail  life blood of their communities and certainly  an integral part of our local commerce.  LA Mart and all of its wholesale showrooms want our local retailers to understand that, as they have supported LA Mart for so many years, the LA Mart in turn wants to support them.”  

“Rather than hosting a fundraising drive, we decided to simply give direct donations to any retail store and LA Mart customer located in the affected area.  Any who come to the January Winter Market, and show proof of their store’s location, will be the recipient of a $300 LA Mart check. LA Mart is pleased to be able endorse these direct donations, as giving back to our customers is really what it is all about.” 

To start, LA Mart has earmarked some $20,000 for this special program to give away to retailers affected by this natural disaster. 

“We are celebrating our 60th anniversary here at the LA Mart and many of these affected retail stores have been an integral part of that success and longevity,” continued Joens.  “We want to support and demonstrate to our faithful customers our grateful appreciation and show that we really do care about them and their businesses.” 

For more information on this program, please contact  info@lamart.com