Alterations & More, owned and operated by Laura Hermasillo at 2864 Cerrillos Rd. in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been providing tailoring, sewing, and alteration services since 2008. The business also provides custom embroidering of logos, names, and monograms for both large and small businesses, such as Fed Ex, local restaurants, and for vehicle interior accessories.
Alterations & More was the recipient of an RDC Technology and Manufacturing (TEAM) fund no-interest loan in 2019. The funds were used to purchase an additional embroidering machine because Hermasillo was successfully growing that segment of the business.
Before the pandemic closures, Alterations & More had six employees including Hermasillo, but the shop was forced to close on March 23, when the business was deemed non-essential by the state of New Mexico. At the time of the closure, the shop employees were busy sewing corsets for a Chamber of Commerce Fashion Show that would have happened this month, plus doing their regular alterations and custom embroidery work.
Hermasillo said she went home for one day after the shop was closed, then with no employees, she began making much needed fabric masks, which are proven to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Two weeks later Alterations & More was deemed an essential business because of the mask making and she rehired her employees. The business has since been selling masks to individuals from curbside at the shop on Cerrillos Rd and has also been receiving and fulfilling large orders from places like Los Alamos National Labs, the City of Santa Fe, Las Campanas, Coyote Café, as well as to many other businesses both in New Mexico as well as in Colorado.
Hermasillo was able to rehire her employees after she was deemed essential, and she will be adding one more employee very soon. The business only makes masks at this time.
“I’m so happy that my workers have incomes,” said Hermasillo. “Right now many of my employees are the sole breadwinners in their families,” she said.
The masks are $12 each, they come in two different designs, in many great looking fabrics, in two sizes for children and two for adults, and can be ordered by calling 505-424-9216. Currently, some companies are also ordering embroidery on the masks. Customers pay by credit card over the phone and pick up curbside. Delivery arrangements can be made for large orders.