5 Best Shopping in Gallup, Northwestern New Mexico

City Electric is a shoe shop Gallup-style, and is definitely worth a poke around. This purveyor of moccasins, cowboy boots, belts, and cowboy hats also repairs saddles and shoes and sells leather and fittings for your own work. This corner shop with a Pueblo Deco facade was founded by an Italian immigrant in 1924. It has stayed in the Bonaguidi family ever since.

Coming up from Zuni on NM 602, travelers will come upon Ellis Tanner Trading Co., a venerable fourth-generation family operation.

Perry Null Trading Co. bought out the 80-year-old Tobe Turpen post in 2005; Perry Null, himself a trader since the 1970s, continues to sell kachinas, sand paintings, jewelry, folk art, and more.

At Richardson's Trading Co., the great-granddaddy of trading posts, the wooden floors creak under your feet as you gawk at the knockout array of Navajo and Zuni turquoise and silver earrings, squash blossoms, concho belts, bracelets, natural-dye handwoven rugs, and beadwork. Richardson's is also a veritable museum of old pawn (the often valuable, unclaimed items pawned by local Native Americans).

Another branch of the Tanner trading family runs Shush Yaz Trading Co., which stocks all manner of Native American arts and crafts, including locally made Navajo squaw skirts. The store sells traditional and contemporary jewelry and is a great source of old pawn. The on-site restaurant serves native foods.