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A Unique Experience
Jackie’s Trading Post
A summer day under the
blue skies of Taos, New Mexico is my idea of heaven. It doesn’t
get better than watching the hot air balloons rise from the gorge,
or rafters take on the rapids at Sunset or Sal’s Hole. After
a long day on the plaza and a cold beer at Eske’s Brewpub,
it’s time to head to one of Taos’ best-kept secrets.
Even the locals sometimes forget about Jackie’s Trading
Post, a treasure trove of Native American jewelry and craftwork.
About one mile north of the plaza, Jackie’s manages to stay
hidden - right in plain sight. The wooden building is located
just down the street from the Laughing Horse Inn and right across
from the Taos Diner. Like the town of Taos itself, Jackie’s
Trading Post sells a bit of everything, from beautiful squash
blossom necklaces to drums, T-shirts, and moccasins. Everything
at Jackie’s is Indian-made, and unlike the pricier stores
around the plaza, the name “Trading Post” means exactly
what it says. Native American artists from Oklahoma, Arizona,
Colorado, and Texas come to Jackie’s to buy, sell, and trade
their jewelry – and they have been for years.
Old wooden furniture, rusty
machines, and rocking chairs cover the porch. Mercury, the trading
post dog, comes out to greet you. It’s like going to grandma’s
house, and the feeling doesn’t change when you meet Jackie.
A friendly lady with a sweet face, Jackie makes everyone feel
right at home. She and her son Jerry, who started the business
thirty years ago, both seem perfectly willing to answer questions
about anything under the sun, give directions, talk about the
weather, or get down to some serious bargaining with their favorite
customers. People come to Jackie’s from miles around. They
have regulars from as far away as New York that would never dream
of going anywhere else to shop for that perfect piece of jewelry
to mark their latest, but not last, visit to Taos.
Lovely old pieces, dull
silver mingled with turquoise and red coral, crowd the cases.
Specializing in antique jewelry, Jackie’s invites you to
touch. As soon as your gaze touches some beautiful work, Jackie
or Jerry pulls it out of the case as if they, too, long to hold
it. This, as much as the large selection or the can’t-be-beat
prices, is what I love about Jackie’s, the sense of respect
for the jewelry. Each piece is treated like an old friend. As
Mercury licks my hand, Jerry recounts how traders brought coral
from the coast. I end up buying a bracelet, made with that coral
and green turquoise. Though I hardly wear jewelry, I know I’ll
wear this piece. When I do, I’ll remember what else I got
at Jackie’s Trading Post. In the end, we value most those
things which hold our memories of special times and people.
Concealed Spline Publishing LLC
606 Williams Apt. 1122
Royal Oak Mi 48067
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