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LAS CRUCES - The area might be a transition - a gateway if, you will - between Las Cruces and Mesilla, but the businesses along or near Avenida de Mesilla have worked for years to make the corridor its own destination.
"It is becoming a cultural corridor," said Paul Schranz with the Preston Art Gallery at 1755 Avenida de Mercado. "Our last opening had 800 people; the location's perfect. Business here is just expanding."
Debbie McGinn, owner of The Bean coffee shop at 2011 Avenida De Mesilla, said she has noticed an increase in business.
"There have been more people, more hours of the day," she said.
The restaurant Thai Delight opened at 2184 Avenida de Mesilla last year and Meson de Mesilla, a restaurant/bar/boutique hotel location, has recently reopened at 1803 Avenida de Mesilla, after being closed for a year.
On the move
A pair of southern New Mexico wineries are moving their area stores to new locations, still along the Avenida corridor.
Southwest Wines, based in Deming, will relocate its St. Clair Winery & Bistro from 1800 Avenida de Mesilla to the building that used to house Way Out West, at 1720 Avenida de Mesilla.
Owner Florent Lescombes reports that the move will expand its location to three times its size. The new bistro will have a full restaurant menu and there are also plans to serve micro-brewed beer.
Rob Sharp, spokesman for Southwest Wines, said the company is "still working on the permitting process," but that it hopes to have the
Luna Rossa Winery, also based in Deming, recently closed its 1750 Calle de Mercado store as it renovates a new location nearby at 1321 Avenida de Mesilla.
Owner Sylvia D'Andrea said a May or June opening date is expected for the 2,000-square-foot building, which used to house Round One Boxing and Kickboxing.
"We'll have a pizzeria, cooking them in a wood oven. There'll be deserts," D'Andrea said.
On the horizon
As you drive down Calle de Mercado, toward the Preston gallery and Lozenzo's de Mesilla, you'll notice the strip plaza on your right is not full.
"It's just a sign of the times with the economy," said Kelli Burchell, who, along with her mother, Louise, owns the clothing boutique Emerald Isle, a litter farther down at 1750 Calle de Mercado. "We would welcome anything else to come into the area. It'd be another draw (for shoppers.)"
Burchell said her shop has been there for 10 years, yet, "It amazes me how many times I'll say, 'We're in the Mercado, and people don't know we're back here. It's been our regular customers that keep us going. I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of new customers. And we still do get the occasional tourist."
There are two restaurants - Lorenzo's de Mesilla and Paisano Café - as well as Los Cosas Kitchen Shoppe, the Preston Art Gallery, another gallery nearby operated by Carolyn and Henry Bunch and the soon-to-open ROKOKO Kosmic Soul Kaboom Studio & Gallery, all within walking distance. Also in the works: a long-awaited history museum.
"This little area can make it, and I think it will," said Burchell, who reports that Lorenzo's will expand into the vacated Luna Rossa location, right next door to her shop. She called the area, "The next Scottsdale," in reference to the affluent Arizona city near Phoenix. "It has the charm of Old Mesilla, but is a little more updated and upscale."
The plaza behind Comfort Inn & Suites at 1300 Avenida de Mesilla lost its anchor tenant, the restaurant/bar Gadsden Purchase, but the location has been drawing interest, said Laura Szalay with Keller Williams Realty, who represents the commercial location.
"A restaurant or a little gourmet market would fit with the area," Szalay said. She said the Mesilla corridor area is "developing and has a lot of cool things to offer the community."
Brook Stockberger can be reached at (575) 541-5457. Sun-News reporter S. Derrickson Moore contributed to this report.
