Salome Store in 1989

Located on NM 60, 25 miles west of Socorro, this family-run general merchandise store opened in 1910 and hasn't closed since.

Sunbonnets, cowboy hats hanging from elk antlers, saddles, dishes, blue jeans, and dry goods crowd the shelves and display cases while a giant pickle jar sits atop the long counter. "If you can't find what you want, ask," says the clerk from behind the counter. "If we haven't got it, and you're not in a hurry, we'll get it." There are groceries, tools, blankets, towels, boots, lace doilies, socks, jackets, soft drinks, meat and Navajo jewelry.

It's like it's still 1910, the year George Salome opened the doors to his general merchandise store. This was a few years after George and his wife Ida, who were both born in Lebanon, traveled from Oklahoma to New Mexico Territory and settled in the mining and cattle railhead town of Magdalena. Ida ran the store after George died and later their son, Morgan, managed it for almost half a century.

Salome Store's regular customers are ranchers from the area, Magdalena citizens, and Navajos from nearby Alamo reservation.