La Placita Mexican Store saves energy through BizSavers® Program
Walking across the threshold of Jefferson City’s only Mexican store is an emersion into an authentic experience. A refrigerator is stocked with specialized drinks, shelves are lined with the necessary ingredients to make genuine Mexican dishes, the back wall is filled with hard-to-find spices, and hanging from the ceiling are a variety of colorful pinatas.
“We are here to serve the community,” said Hugo Vasques, the owner of La Placita Mexican Store. He added that he is proud of what the store offers Jefferson City.
One noticeable change is the brightness and visibility inside the store. Earlier this year, all the lights at La Placita were upgraded to LED bulbs through Ameren Missouri’s BizSavers energy efficiency incentives. The potential for reduced energy costs, which were immediately noticeable on the store's energy bill, first enticed Vasques to look into Ameren Missouri's BizSavers program. One of the unexpected benefits was increased visibility in the store. With the new lighting, it is easy to see the goods that line the shelves and read the ingredients labels.
“Efficiency. Long-lasting. Brightness,” Vasques lists as the benefits of the new LED light bulbs.
Ameren Missouri's BizSavers program provides cash incentives for energy-efficient lighting upgrades in commercial and industrial buildings. La Placita received nearly $600 in incentives toward the cost of installing the new energy-saving equipment, which helps provide an estimated annual savings of about $450 on the store's energy bill.
Approximately one-quarter of a typical commercial facility's energy usage comes from lighting. Upgrading lighting can reduce energy costs, especially when installing efficient LED lights, which save energy and often pay for themselves within a year after incentives are considered.
La Placita took a unique approach to the pandemic, one tailored to the store and its customers. The measures implemented focused on logic instead of fear, a point Vasques emphasizes. La Placita was a hidden gem of hard-to-find ingredients as folks tried their hand at from-scratch cooking during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goods for sale at La Placinta are hidden no longer, which helps improve service to his customers. "It’s all about serving people,” Vasques said.