We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Ojeda of The Local Bodega and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As an artist and engineer, we never planned on having a retail space. When we moved back to the Southwest from the PNW, our dream was just to farm. But we saw a huge gap in our downtown that we decided to fill. Post-Covid we saw an influx of people finding their passions with no other outlet than social media to sell. So we made it our mission to create a space for small and micro businesses in our area to have a consistent place to sell their goods where customers could engage in the experience of these products that were only previously available online. Where our vendors could experiment, rebrand, learn to market in our community, create websites, and do it all with the support of not just us but the other vendors as well.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a painter, and my husband Nolan is an engineer by trade- and we wanted to be farmers. We had already started raising chickens with plans to bring on pigs, and had only lived in Alamogordo for 10 months. We took a 5 year plan and made it a 2 month plan. It made no sense for us to start a retail store, but we did it because we really care about the town we live in and the people who were finding a way to leave their jobs, stay at home, and be more fulfilled through their craft. We have been open for almost a year, expanding from supporting 16 local artisans to over 50, and it has come with many challenges. Besides having a 3 year old and a 1 year old that join me at the store, there are always first time business trials and ways you have to be creative to stay in business. From selling our farm’s eggs to hosting Macrame&Margaritas classes, or participating in festivals to having a September Soap Seminar, there are so many ways you have to put yourself out as a new business to keep people’s interest. The Local Bodega is located in our downtown, and every single time a customer says it has been years since they have been downtown, I try to re-ignite the desire to come back and see what’s happening, because we all have to succeed and we thrive on community over competition. I have learned that we can not do this alone. We always have to be teachable and be ready to admit mistakes.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First things first, for lodging our friends always stay with us and never in a hotel. We have 5 acres, but there are 400 acres of beautiful undeveloped land behind us that shows off how beautiful this place is and you can see the stars at night. For food we always go to Les Combes to try something on their ever-changing menu, and then 575 Brewery for their amazing beer, nosh plates, and guest food trucks. For our beach loving or National Park friends, we go to White Sands to enjoy the sun and go sledding in summer. For indoor activities, we enjoy The Flickinger Center for Performing Arts for any number of their shows, or the Space Museum! But we always take everyone downtown to show off our shop, the businesses and people who helped us get our business off the ground, and the Wednesday night farmer’s market to check out even more local artisans and to support local growers and food trucks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Danna Larson of Rural Revival is a huge reason we are where we are right now. She has helped in innumerable ways to get our business off the ground and to help us make a lasting impact in our community. Another person we would like to thank is Ms. Alice of Victoria here in Alamogordo, NM. She really encouraged us and saw the potential in our business, to the point where she was saying jump when we weren’t sure if we were ready to. But we are glad we did. And finally, Nathanial Gott of Gott Brothers, who has always helped with our crazy ideas whenever we need him.

Website: thelocalbodeganm.com

Instagram: @thelocalbodeganm and @thesanctuaryhomestead

Facebook: @thelocalbodeganm

Other: TikTok: thelocalbodeganm

Image Credits
Bunny Soap by La Luz Soap Sake Set by KB Potttery Bracelets by Faeriekissage Studio

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