Tonopah welcomes The Crow Collective

Last month, Tonopah Main Street officially selected its first participant for its Small Business Incubator Program, with The Crow Collective now the newest storefront in town.

The Small Business Incubator Program comes as a result of funding from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), which allowed Tonopah Main Street to acquire the “1902” building and open the program to area applicants.

Jael Mendez Greenland may have been the only budding entrepreneur to apply but her application and her enthusiasm for the opportunity were more than enough to prove that she is ready to take on the challenge of operating her own small business.

Timing it perfectly to dovetail with one of the biggest weekends of the year, Tonopah Main Street hosted a ribbon cutting and soft opening for The Crow Collective the Friday of Jim Butler Days, May 22. At 2 p.m. that afternoon, Mendez Greenland was joined by several others to celebrate the occasion and it was one that left both her and Tonopah Main Street officials utterly delighted.

“The soft opening went amazing,” Mendez Greenland told the Pahrump Valley Times afterward. “Though I understand that a holiday weekend is not an accurate reflection of everyday business, it was still very positive and uplifting to see people come in and comment and purchase products. It was also a great way to get in contact with other local vendors and work out consignment and exchange business ideas.”

Both Mendez Greenland and Tonopah Main Street Executive Director Kay Galli reported very positive feedback from the public on both the Small Business Incubator Program and The Crow Collective. In fact, the original plan was to have the soft opening on Jim Butler Days weekend and then close down to prepare for a full opening sometime in June. But the reception The Crow Collective has been such that this didn’t happen.

“It’s actually been going so well that I just haven’t closed,” Greenland detailed. “I’ve been open every weekend since the soft opening and as of right now, I plan on being open every Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eventually, I will experiment with weekday hours.”

The Crow Collective offers fun and interesting items for patrons to peruse, from souvenirs and handmade gifts to products such as lotion, soaps, jewelry — all made by Mendez Greenland and other local artists.

“We have one-of-a-kind gifts for all budgets, items ranging from stickers, keychains, bags, cups, gift baskets, seasonal items, toys, books and even some historic and collectible coins. Truly, anything a crow would find interesting, we’ve got it,” Mendez Greenland enthused.

As to what she’s learned on her entrepreneurial journey so far, Mendez Greenland remarked that operating your own business is hard work but extremely rewarding, as well.

“This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time and it makes me very happy when someone comes in and finds something they like and gets so excited to take it home. When people comment on something I’ve made myself, it makes me feel a kind of accomplishment that I can’t even explain,” she stated. “I feel very tired but so fulfilled when at the end of the day I close the shop and I see the beautiful storefront and know that this is my vision, my ideas and my reward, not only for now but for my future. I’m very thankful for this program and the opportunity to bring this idea to life.

“Tonopah is filled with creative minds, artists, hard-working and driven people who don’t always have the means, resources or training to pursue business ventures and this program is encouraging people to take a step toward their financial independence,” she continued. “Today, this program benefits The Crow Collective and tomorrow, it will be somebody else!”

Galli said she is proud of Mendez Greenland and is optimistic that The Crow Collective will become a go-to for locals and visitors.

“People love that we’re doing this for the community and that we provide not only an opportunity for an entrepreneur but also for the locals to have somewhere to go to shop for things that have not been available locally for a while. People of course also love what The Crow Collective offers. We believe she has really done her homework on what works for both locals and tourists. I have shopped at her store every weekend since she’s opened, because she gets new inventory all the time,” Galli said, jokingly adding, “But don’t tell my husband!”

Galli noted that it was a long haul to get to the point of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with plenty of prerequisites for Mendez Greenland to meet before the doors could officially open.

“Running a business is never easy and requires a lot of organization and also a lot of upfront payments,” Galli informed. “Jael is our guinea pig as we are learning a lot from this process as well. We are so glad she’s our first occupant as she’s very patient with us and our requirements. We excluded her from any of the planning and decisions, as she is our board secretary, because we knew she was interested in applying. It’s an amazing opportunity for Tonopah and we obviously hope that Jael will successfully operate her business for a long time.”

The Crow Collective is located inside 1902, located at 128 S. Main Street.

For more information on the Small Business Incubator Program, contact TonopahMainStreet@gmail.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com