Two initiatives by the City of Albuquerque reportedly have helped businesses along the Central Avenue (aka Route 66) corridor during the holiday season.
Craig Turpin of Empire Board Game Library told KOB-TV the city’s Route 66 Shop & Glow, which featured light sculptures, helped keep his sales the same as last year, if not higher.
A business doing better than the previous year is impressive, especially considering the baseline was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second city effort was free parking along Central and the Old Town area through December.
Two businesses told the station the free-parking perk helped them, and they hoped the city would continue that in the new year.
Here’s the full video from the station:
It’s been a struggle for many businesses along Route 66 corridor in Albuquerque the past few years.
First, construction for the troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project disrupted or discouraged traffic.
Then the pandemic struck in March.
Other towns on Route 66 should take note of these efforts, especially the shop-local initiative.
(Image of the Route 66 Shop and Glow logo via the City of Albuquerque website)