Jesús Sito Candelario’s Original Old Curio Store was a popular stop for tourists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Souvenir goods and postcards sold at the shop found their way across the country, helping to establish Santa Fe as a rustic outpost to tempt Americans eager for a taste of the exotic Southwest. J. S. Candelario (1864–1938) opened his first curio shop in Santa Fe in 1902. An old oxcart resting on the roof served as the shop’s trademark, attracting visitors to the emporium, stocked floor to ceiling with a wide assortment of local wares, including Indian baskets, rugs, silver jewelry, gems, and trinkets. Candelario maintained his shop until 1936, when it was passed down to descendants. John Candelario, J. S.’s grandson, ran the business until his death in 1993. Today, Candelario’s Old Curio Store still stands on West San Francisco Street, renamed The Original Trading Post.
From Old Santa Fe Today, 5th edition by Audra Bellmore with photographs by Simone Frances.