Need a tractor? South Plains Implement on Valley Drive is open for business! For five years, it’s been a one-stop shop on 401 South Valley Drive for John Deere tractors, lawnmowers and specialized farming equipment at South Plains Implement. But, with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) road reconstruction of Valley Drive… South Plains Implement salesman Raul Flores says sales have ground to a halt.
Flores says he had loved the location, and steady traffic on Valley Drive drove steady sales. “We could sell up to three tractors a week,” he said. “Now it’s been two tractors in four months,” necessitating a discussion of the future of the location as the streets around it are being dug up.
Flores says he loves his job - he’s been in sales for South Plains Implement for 32 years - but it wasn’t sustainable for him on Valley Drive. Nick Sloan, the general manager for locations in Mesquite, Deming and Las Cruces, suggested that Flores move to the Mesquite branch, and now salesman Steve Griffith is at the Las Cruces location.
“Our location is now more of a show and tell, let people kick the tires,” said Flores, “but the construction is driving people directly to our competition.” Sloan and Flores are debating holding out in the Valley Drive location, or moving elsewhere, as their lot neighbors did – moving their business that sells sheds to Solano Drive.
“We’ll have to see what it looks like maybe six months after NMDOT hopefully finishes in February,” said Flores. “We hope that our semi-trucks still have the same sort of access to this location when the road is done, but we’re not sure.”
Flores says he misses loading up what he’s sold to a happy customer, including owners of large pecan farms to weekend gardeners who needed a little bit more power on their property. He notes that South Plains Implement is also a parts supplier for any of the farming implements they’ve sold.
“People from Silver City and Alamogordo are driving to Mesquite to shop,” he said, “but we’re still open and holding out to be ready for those who still want local service without driving out of town.”
Phase 1 and Phase 3 of the NMDOT Valley Drive road reconstruction project are complete and open to traffic; scheduled completion of Phase 2 is early 2020. The City of Las Cruces encourages residents to continue supporting local businesses on Valley Drive. More information about monthly Valley Drive update meetings at www.valleydrive.net.