From Summer Job to Business Owner: Laura McDonald on Caribou Crossings, Tourism and Downtown Juneau

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becca Parks talks with Laura McDonald, owner of Caribou Crossings, about a Juneau business story that began with a teenage summer job and eventually led to ownership of one of downtown’s longtime locally focused shops.Laura shares how she started at Caribou Crossings at 16, grew into increasingly larger roles, earned her MBA with support from the business, and ultimately purchased the company from founder and mentor Tanya, on January 1, 2020. Just months later, the cruise industry shut down and the new owner found herself facing an extraordinary test.The conversation explores how Juneau businesses survived the pandemic, the importance of advocacy through the Juneau Chamber of Commerce and Alaska Chamber, and why small-business owners need a voice when government decisions affect their operations.Laura also talks about Caribou Crossings’ commitment to Alaska-made products, its relationships with nearly 80 Alaska artists, the changing expectations of cruise passengers, and why she proudly considers herself both a local Juneau business owner and part of the cruise tourism industry.It’s a conversation about mentorship, resilience, tourism, workforce challenges, supporting Alaska artists, and why Laura believes locals should rediscover downtown Juneau, not avoid it.