Jan 21, 2009

Lafayette strip mall has friends in townBy Melanie AsmarRockyMountainNews.com

Lafayette, CO — Bob Beard, an out-of-work engineer, shows up every afternoon like clockwork at Barlow’s Premium Cigars in Lafayette. Even though Beard was laid off from Sun Microsystems, he hasn’t given up his noontime cigar-and-soda ritual at Barlow’s.

“It’s like a second home,” he said. “It’s a place to relax.”

It’s customers like Beard who are helping the dozen or so small owner-operated shops in Lafayette’s Atlas Valley shopping center survive. In this shaky economy, which can be especially harsh on small businesses, the shop owners say customer loyalty has kept them afloat.

Observers see the stores’ success as an example of the theory that a little customer service and a bit of hometown pride – most customers are local – can go a long way when times are tough.

“Everybody is coming in and everybody wants to know you’re OK,” said Luanne Hill, who owns a kitchenware store at Atlas Valley called What’s Cooking. “I feel like they want more than anything for us to succeed. They want their community to thrive.”

The Atlas Valley shopping center is a neat strip mall with ample parking at the corner of 95th Street and Arapahoe Road in suburban Lafayette. To one side of the center are houses; to the other, mountains.

Specialty shops occupy the center. Barlow’s is one of the oldest residents. There’s also an Italian restaurant, an eco-friendly toy store, a pet boutique, a gift shop and a computer learning center.

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