It’s no secret that if you’re looking for the ultimate way to become acquainted with any city or town, stroll down its main street. Here, you’ll almost always find the perfect combination of history, visual treats, and quirky tidbits. In Gallup, Historic Highway 66 (more commonly known as Route 66) has served as the city’s main drag for decades.

Situated along the old Route 66 in Gallup, the Richardson Trading Company is older than the highway itself.

Thomas Hawk/Flickr Part trading post, part pawn shop, and part tourist haunt, this shop is a memorable piece of Americana that every New Mexican should visit at least once.

Located right outside the building is a mural and centennial plaque dating the company’s origins to 1913.

Ina Rucker/Google In the 1930s, it opened up right along Route 66, where it remains a family-owned icon today.

Walk inside and you’ll be met with creaky wooden floors and more merchandise than your eyes can take in. It almost seems like a museum.

Richie Diesterheft/Flickr The rug room, for example, is massive. It holds hundreds—if not thousands—of intricately woven Navajo rugs in dozens of styles and color combinations.

Throughout the sprawling store, you’ll find hundreds of other items, ranging from well-worn saddles to firearms to heaps of turquoise jewelry.

Richie Diesterheft/Flickr

You’ll even spot some oddities sprinkled throughout, such as this stuffed white buffalo and carved statues.

Richardson Trading Post/Facebook Weird, but also a bit charming!

A good portion of the store’s history and merchandise comes from its partial status as a pawn shop.

Jasperdo/Flickr This could very well be how it obtained such a huge inventory. It serves as a quick method of obtaining a cash loan, something useful for the rural communities surrounding Gallup. Richardson’s location along Route 66 made it even more enticing to visitors since it was a convenient and popular location.

On any given day, you’re bound to find a unique, handcrafted goodie in the store’s showcases.

Michael Laird/google With its abundance of merchandise, you can find just about anything here. If you’ve had the chance to stop by, what caught your eye?

Richardson’s Trading Post is located on 3rd Street and Historic Highway 66 in Gallup.

Google Maps

It is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.

Thomas Hawk/Flickr

Part trading post, part pawn shop, and part tourist haunt, this shop is a memorable piece of Americana that every New Mexican should visit at least once.

Ina Rucker/Google

In the 1930s, it opened up right along Route 66, where it remains a family-owned icon today.

Richie Diesterheft/Flickr

The rug room, for example, is massive. It holds hundreds—if not thousands—of intricately woven Navajo rugs in dozens of styles and color combinations.

Richardson Trading Post/Facebook

Weird, but also a bit charming!

Jasperdo/Flickr

This could very well be how it obtained such a huge inventory. It serves as a quick method of obtaining a cash loan, something useful for the rural communities surrounding Gallup. Richardson’s location along Route 66 made it even more enticing to visitors since it was a convenient and popular location.

Michael Laird/google

With its abundance of merchandise, you can find just about anything here. If you’ve had the chance to stop by, what caught your eye?

Google Maps

Address: 222 W Historic Highway 66, Gallup, NM 87301 Phone: 505-722-4762

While you’re in the area, don’t forget to grab a seat and meal over at Earl’s Family Restaurant. Located a little over a mile east of the trading post, Earl’s is home to spectacularly delicious New Mexican-style cuisine. Read more in The Down Home Diner In New Mexico Has Some Of The Best Comfort Food In The Southwest.

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Address: West Historic Highway 66, W Historic Hwy 66, Gallup, NM 87301, USA