Small Business Spotlight — Al’s Gourmet Nuts
“For us, it’s about community,” says Margaret Wilson-Anaglia, owner of Al’s Gourmet Nuts. She and her husband Al have served up these sweet treats for nearly twenty years. Margaret attributes their success to quality, locally sourced ingredients and experienced customer service.
They took on the business twenty years ago, simply selling at conventions. Since then, they have expanded to various local events, selling to local businesses, corporate partners, and the casual customer. They have expanded from three to fifteen flavors of candied nuts.
In 2009, they became a part of the Pearl’s Farmers Market. With her graduate degree in Urban Studies from Trinity University, Margaret new that the Pearl would become a very important piece of the San Antonio landscape.
They have met many clients over the years at the market, including some who connected them to opportunities like Wurstfest and the Super Bowl Tailgate. When the pandemic began, Al’s was hit hard like so many other businesses. But Margaret is a self-described “glass half-full” kind of person. She noticed that locals were given the opportunity to rediscover their own downtown while travel was restricted. She witnessed many people exploring the streets and River Walk, amazed by the progress that has been made over years. Margaret and Al appreciate the local community in all that they do.
Margaret’s community-mindedness goes back to her time in Economic Development at the City of San Antonio, where she was involved in the planning of San Antonio’s Cybersecurity workforce strategy. That planning is bearing fruit now as the tech and cybersecurity industries bloom in the city. Margaret remains deeply involved in her community, volunteering on the Board of Port San Antonio and organizing candidate forums in City Council District 2.
No matter how big they grow, this local company will have its roots in SA, serving up sweets with a smile.
