Good News about Santa Fe's Jackalope

Some time ago I wrote a sad farewell to Darby McQuade's amazing Jackalope as we all knew it. Jackalope was a destination for tourists as well as a mainstay for locals who furnished their homes and decorated their gardens with imports from the quirky, fun stores on the property. We feared all would be lost.

However, in yesterday's Santa Fe New Mexican good news appeared. The purchaser of the property was not a stranger to Jackalope.

According to the New Mexican, "Harpal Singh, the director of Global House, bid $4.6 million for the four structures on the property and another $250,000 for personal property at the site. The sale included the Jackalope trademark, a cross between a jackrabbit and an antelope." Singh, reportedly, has had a relationship with Jackalope for some time and owns the Albuquerque store.

One vendor who was interviewed expected that Singh would be making improvements and the purchase would be a positive thing all around.

I am relieved to hear this. So look for more from Jackalope on Cerrillos Road.

A Santa Fe tradition ends: The sad story of Jackalope

Potters from Mexico demonstrating their art at Jackalope

It’s all over for Jackalope.

It was sad to hear that a Santa Fe tradition, Jackalope on Cerrillos Road, will be no more. 

It’s been there almost forty years. Kids came to see the donkeys, the chickens and the prairie dog village.

Families came to pick out garden pots and furnish their homes with weavings and rough-hewn Spanish style furniture.  Folk art and folk artists could be found there during tourist season. It was a bright and energetic place. Often there was live music and little festivals put on by the owners. Jackalope had heart.

Darby McQuade, the founder who lived on the property, had a flock of white pigeons that circled the grounds each day… their stark white wings contrasting with the bright blue New Mexican sky. Darby and his crew of Mexican gardeners kept his gardens bright and interesting. But that was a different era.

The Jackalope Mercado

According to the New Mexican, “At 11 a.m. Aug. 26, Jackalope will be sold to the highest bidder in an auction on the steps of the courthouse on Montezuma Avenue. The sale includes the property, about 5 acres, as well as inventory, equipment, fixtures and even the iconic trademark of the jackrabbit with antlers.”

We'll all miss the bright colors and resonable prices of Jackalope

It is a sad end to Darby McQuade’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. It’s a sad time for Santa Fe.

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Jackalope in a Better Day - Photos

Photography copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography