How’s the shopping in Santa Fe? The best in the country, some say, even topping New York and Chicago! It is no surprise to us that Santa Fe recently topped the list of “Best U.S. City for Shopping,” as voted by readers of USA Today. (We put a lot of stock in their ranking as the Bear was recently included in their list of top Santa Fe B&Bs!)
Inside Tip: Do you enjoy shopping in the winter with a cup of coffee, hand in hand? Visit these wonderful shops and save with our low winter rates! Use that money you saved for some special Santa Fe purchases.
Here are our top picks for shopping in The City Different…
Casa Nova
530 S Guadalupe Street
Walk into Casa Nova by Natalie, and you’ll find yourself in a colorful world market. When Casa Nova opened, owner Natalie Fitz-Gerald focused on African art. Natalie hails from South Africa and wants to bring antique and new art from her home continent to Santa Fe.
Over the last 10 years, the shop has evolved, and the inventory comes from around the world and is much more eclectic. Shoppers will find bedding, ceramics & tableware, furniture, decorative cushions, wild & wonderful home accessories, jewelry, and world-class African art. Casa Nova, located in the Guadalupe District near the Railyard, is considered by locals to be one of the best places for unique gifts and a “must-stop” to bring out-of-town guests.
Native American Vendors Program of the Palace of the Governors
105 W Palace Avenue
Every day dozens of Native American artists from around Santa Fe sell their work under the long portal that fronts the Palace of the Governors. You’ll see them there, rain, snow, wind, or sun, selling their original handcrafted jewelry, sand art, pottery, and other authentic traditional art.
The Palace itself is the state’s history museum and the oldest public building in the U.S., making it a perfect setting. You can stroll along under the portal, simply perusing all of the artists’ art, or have lengthy conversations with the artists about the materials used, how it’s crafted, and the symbolism of their pieces.
If you see something you like, be sure to buy it, as artisans are selected by lottery, and the same artist may not be there the next day. This is an eighty-year-old tradition that includes approximately 1,000 artisans who are licensed to sell here after going through a strict application process to ensure the authenticity of materials and the quality of their work.
Keshi – The Zuni Connection
227 Don Gaspar Avenue
The Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico is known for its distinctive handcrafts. Keshi is the place to go in Santa Fe for Zuni handcrafts. They’re knowledgeable about both Zuni art and the people who create it. They’ve worked closely with the Pueblo since 1981.
Originally a co-op, the inventory was consigned, but today it’s privately owned, and the shop purchases the art at prices set by the artists. With over 500 Pueblo artists represented at Keshi, the shop is packed with pieces representing the Zuni artistic tradition. The Pueblo is known for fetishes (carvings of animals, primarily made from stone), fetish necklaces, inlay and petit point jewelry, as well as contemporary pottery, paintings, and Katsina dolls.
Rainbow Man
107 E. Palace Avenue
Just steps from the Plaza, the Rainbow Man has offered authentic Native American, Spanish Colonial, and Hispanic arts and crafts since 1945. The shop is packed with antique, vintage, and contemporary jewelry, vintage photography, and textiles, including early Rio Grande, Chimayo, and Mexican weavings. The shop is known for its Pendleton blankets, a large selection of antique and vintage tribal jewelry, and its collection of gold-tone Native American photos from photographer Edward Curtis.
New Mexican folk artists represented here include Tesuque wood-carvers Felipe & Leroy Archuleta and Ron Archuleta Rodriguez and painter Marie Cash, a leading authority on the Santero art tradition in New Mexico. The shop also has work from her son, Gregory Lomayesva, whose colorful wood carvings pay homage to his mother’s Hispanic and father’s Hopi ancestry. The building used to be a secret office of the Manhattan Project. Look for the historical marker in the rear courtyard of the building.
Teca Tu
165 Paseo De Peralta
This plush pet boutique, aptly sub-named “A Paws Worthy Emporium & Deli,” is a must-shop stop for any pet lover. Pamper your pet as you would yourself at this colorful emporium, which has won the Best of Santa Fe Top 3 award every year since 2004!
Your pup will look spiffy in a silver concho collar, hand-knit alpaca sweater, or Vestido coat or vest, all part of Teca Tu’s signature line of designer wear. Indulge your canine or feline with their own hand-painted bowl, fresh-baked treats, and fun-filled toys. Or, sweeten their dreams with a comfy and unique bed. Take your four-legged friend with you when shopping so they can enjoy freshly baked treats and browse the gourmet food selections.
Museum of International Folk Art Shop / Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
The gift shops at Santa Fe’s museums are great shopping options. The two on Museum Hill, operated by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, deserve special mention.
- Museum of International Folk Art Shop: Museum Hill, 706 Camino Lejo
- Shoppers will find folk art from around the world. Accomplished artists from impoverished communities exhibit their art often from recycled and found materials. Colorful pottery, wall art, whimsical figurines, children’s toys, nesting dolls, religious art, and clothing and textiles from around the globe fill the shop.
- The Colleen Cloney Duncan Museum Shop at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture: Museum Hill, 710 Camino Lejo
- The shop provides visitors with a wide array of contemporary Native arts—ceramics, sculpture, textiles, stunning hand-crafted jewelry, kachina dolls, works on paper, and baskets—along with clothing and a wonderful collection of popular and scholarly books on native cultures. It is one of the very best spots in town to buy top-quality Native American work and wonderful southwestern gifts.
A purchase at these shops enhances the livelihood of artisans from New Mexico and around the world.
Doodlet’s
120 Don Gaspar
For more than 50 years, Doodlet’s has been delighting everyone who steps through their door. This old-time gift shop is crammed full of unusual gifts that will make any recipient smile! If you have someone that is hard to buy for, head to Doodlet’s across the street from Café Pasqual’s.
This magical place is my Mom’s favorite shop in Santa Fe. Filled with fun and whimsy, you’ll get lost in the campy, retro, irreverent, and fun merchandise they stock. Here you’ll find shiny pot-metal Milagros, gag gifts, wonderful and unique books, greeting cards, silly gags, old-fashioned candies (do you remember Necco Wafers?), buttons, jewelry, and thoughtful Santa Fe treasures. It’s a wonderful stop when you have stockings to stuff for the holidays! Don’t miss it!
Collected Works Bookstore & Coffeehouse
202 Galisteo Street
Books, remember those? If you love to read and like to read actual books, you’ll love Collected Works Bookstore & Coffeehouse. Santa Fe’s favorite independent bookstore since 1978 is located just a few blocks off the plaza.
This general bookseller maintains a huge inventory of titles but specializes in Santa Fe and New Mexico history, Native American history, pottery and crafts, New Mexican cooking, Santa Fe and New Mexico architecture and art, and local guidebooks and maps.
Their cozy indoor and outdoor patio reading areas invite you to relax and enjoy their locally roasted organic coffee, pastries, chocolates, and light fare. Read to your heart’s content, or take a break from your shopping. Check out their website for unique events, author readings and signings, receptions, and occasional acoustic music performances. There is always something interesting to experience at Collected Works!
It is located on the corner of Galisteo & Water Streets, just a few blocks from the Plaza, in a historic building where the jailhouse known to have held the infamous Billie the Kid once stood.
Seret & Sons
224 Galisteo Street
Feel like you’ve stepped into an Asian or Arabian bazaar at Seret & Sons. This warehouse-style emporium of art and sculpture is overflowing with gorgeous Afghan rugs, Tibetan furniture, mirrors, pillows, and large architectural pieces.
During their 15 years living in Afghanistan, the Serets developed a unique style of carpet, fabric, and furniture design, becoming a top resource to designers such as Anne Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Angelo Donghia, and others.
Need an impressive architectural element for your home or yard? How about a giant stone elephant or a huge teak gate? Their backyard is full of giant treasures waiting for a home. Getting such treasures to your home is easier said than done, but it’s fun just to browse and dream also! Come browse, buy, or dream on Santa Fe’s own Silk Road.
Santa Fe Trade History
Santa Fe has been a trading post for nearly 1000 years, centrally located between the buffalo-hunting tribes of the Great Plains and the Indians of Mexico. After the arrival of the Spanish and the subsequent development of the U.S. West, Santa Fe continued to be a key shopping destination on the Santa Fe Trail, one of the world’s most historical and colorful trade routes. Today, the trading legacy remains strong. Santa Fe truly offers an exciting mix of shopping for both old and new.
After Your Shopping Adventure
We are here at Inn of the Turquoise Bear to recommend outdoor adventures, restaurants, places to grab a drink, and more during your time in Santa Fe. Rest your tired feet after a day exploring the City Different. Check availability for a romantic room for two.
Photo Credit: © Artem Bali via canva.com
