Indie Mom in Vegas on Life, Art, Parenting, And The Pursuit of Enlightenment

As somebody who has lived in this city since 2001, (which feels like eons as fast as the city is changing) it still never ceases to amaze me how fast things are built, torn down, rebuilt, or blown up. As an independent artist myself I have mused over opening my own small little shop, but the logical side of me has to ask; “How do these little shops pay their bills, rent, and expenses?”

The unfortunate reality is that many of these shops simply aren’t able to keep their heads above water. While many of the tourist destinations on and near the strip have enough out-of-town interest to keep their door opens, those shop owners in the further outskirts and suburbs of the city are struggling to draw in customers and keep business steady after the “grand opening” buzz has worn off.

As more and more “self-contained” town-like suburbs spring up around the valley, the demand for merchant stores is rising alongside of the population. I find it interesting that more of these self-financed stores don’t take advantage of guerrilla marketing techniques.

With all of the large boutiques, advertising space is expensive and bill board rental space is usually more than individual merchants can afford. If you find yourself in need of advertising, think outside the box. Myspace, Flyers, Concerts, Contests, Newspaper Ads, and Encourage locals to help spread word of mouth if they enjoyed their experience.

There are more than enough of us locals to support all the new stores opening up, so take a chance and visit that new hole in the wall boutique, you might be surprised at what you might find, and you might make a friend or two!

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