Coal Avenue Trading Posts

Gallup's role as the trading center for the surrounding Native American nations dates from the town's founding in 1881 as a Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway construction camp. The town sits at the geographic center of a triangle defined by the Navajo Nation to the north (the largest Native American reservation in the United States, covering 27,000 square miles across northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah), the Hopi Reservation embedded within Navajo land to the northwest, and the Zuni Pueblo about 35 miles south of Gallup.

By the early 1900s, the combination of railroad shipping access, central location relative to the three Native nations, and a small core of established Anglo and Hispanic merchants had made Gallup the natural commercial hub for trading between Native artisans and the broader American economy. Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni craft items — silver and turquoise jewelry, woven rugs and blankets, pottery, kachina dolls, basketry, and ceremonial items — flowed into Gallup's trading posts, where they were either sold directly to visitors and travelers or shipped via railroad to major American cities and to wholesale buyers in the East.

The "Indian Capital of the World" title was reportedly first used in the early 1920s and was adopted by the Gallup Chamber of Commerce as official marketing language by the late 1920s. The title was always somewhat self-promotional, but it reflected genuine commercial reality — Gallup's trading post concentration in the 1920s through 1950s exceeded any comparable American city, and the volume of authentic Native craft passing through the town annually was substantial. The annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, held since 1922, formalized the town's role as a Native cultural meeting point.

Richardson's Trading Company is the oldest continuously operating trading post on Coal Avenue and one of the oldest working trading posts in the United States, opened in 1913 and operated continuously by multiple generations of the Richardson family since founding. The shop occupies a substantial historic building on Coal Avenue with a wood-floored showroom, glass display cases lining the walls, and a back room where pawn jewelry is stored and where the proprietors meet with Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artists bringing in new merchandise.

The Richardson's inventory is heavy on silver and turquoise jewelry — Navajo squash blossom necklaces, Zuni inlay rings and bracelets, Hopi overlay silver work, and various contemporary pieces from artists working in traditional styles. Prices range from $20-30 for small Zuni inlay rings up through several thousand dollars for substantial Navajo squash blossom necklaces or museum-quality vintage pieces. The pawn jewelry — items pledged as security against loans by Native customers, which become available for sale if the loan defaults — is generally the most affordable category and often includes pieces with significant cultural and historical value.

Richardson's also stocks Navajo rugs (handwoven on traditional looms by Navajo weavers, generally $200-3,000 depending on size, complexity, and weaver), pottery from Acoma and other pueblos, kachina dolls from Hopi carvers, and various smaller craft items. The shop's reputation among serious Native art collectors is strong; the Richardson family has maintained ongoing relationships with major Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artist families across multiple generations and the inventory consistently includes work from respected artists rather than tourist-grade reproductions.

Perry Null Trading was founded in 1960 by Perry Null, a Gallup-area trader who built relationships with Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artists across his career and developed one of the more substantial trading post operations in the region. The shop occupies the historic Drolet Block building (originally built in 1894) on Coal Avenue and presents a similar inventory mix to Richardson's — silver and turquoise jewelry as the headline category, plus rugs, pottery, kachinas, and various smaller items. The Null family has continued operating the trading post since Perry Null's death and maintains the artist relationships and inventory philosophy he established.

Ellis Tanner Trading Post has been operating since 1909 (under various owners through its history) and is the third anchor trading post on Coal Avenue. The Tanner inventory tends to include slightly more contemporary and innovative work — pieces from younger Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artists experimenting with traditional techniques in modern aesthetic directions — alongside the traditional inventory categories shared with Richardson's and Null. The Tanner showroom is among the larger of the three anchor shops and presents the most visually impressive single-store browsing experience on Coal Avenue.

Beyond these three anchors, Coal Avenue includes a substantial number of smaller trading posts, jewelry shops, and craft galleries that range from genuinely high-quality operations down to more tourist-oriented shops. The general rule for browsing: shops that have been on Coal Avenue for decades, that include working back rooms and pawn operations, and that are staffed by knowledgeable proprietors who can discuss the artists by name are reliable. Shops that look brand-new, that are heavy on cheap turquoise costume jewelry, and that are staffed by generic retail employees are typically tourist-oriented operations selling lower-grade merchandise at higher markups.

Trading post pricing reflects reservation-economy rates rather than tourist markups — the same Navajo silver bracelet that retails for $400 at a Santa Fe gallery or $600 at a Sedona resort jewelry shop typically sells for $150-200 at Richardson's or Null. This pricing reflects both the direct relationships between trading posts and Native artists (the artists receive a substantially higher percentage of the retail price than they would through a multi-stage wholesale chain) and the trading post tradition of moderate markups designed to maintain customer relationships across decades.

Authenticity is the central concern for serious buyers. Genuine Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni work uses specific techniques (sandcast silver for traditional Navajo pieces, channel inlay for Zuni work, overlay technique for Hopi pieces) and specific materials (sterling silver, natural turquoise, coral, jet, and other traditional stones). Lower-grade items use plated metal, dyed stabilized turquoise, plastic inlay, and imported materials. The anchor trading posts on Coal Avenue (Richardson's, Null, Tanner) sell exclusively authentic work; lower-grade items are typically clearly identified. Ask the proprietor about the artist and the materials — knowledgeable trading post staff will discuss specifics openly.

Etiquette in the trading posts is generally straightforward: greet the proprietor when entering, ask before photographing individual pieces, handle merchandise carefully, and don't haggle aggressively on already-fair prices. Modest negotiation on substantial purchases ($500+) is generally acceptable and proprietors typically have some flexibility; haggling on $50 items is not generally welcomed. Cash, credit cards, and personal checks are all typically accepted; some trading posts offer layaway arrangements for substantial purchases.

The Coal Avenue trading post district pairs naturally with the El Rancho Hotel and the Gallup Cultural Center for a full Gallup day. The standard plan: arrive in Gallup by mid-morning from Albuquerque (140 miles east, about 2 hours) or from the Arizona border (25 miles west, about 30 minutes), check into the El Rancho if staying overnight or visit the lobby briefly, then spend 2-3 hours browsing the Coal Avenue trading posts (allow 45-60 minutes per anchor shop plus time for smaller stops). Lunch at one of the downtown Gallup restaurants or at The 49ers Restaurant in the El Rancho lobby, then visit the Gallup Cultural Center for afternoon orientation and (between Memorial Day and Labor Day) the free 7pm Native American dance performances.

For travelers shopping seriously for a single substantial Native art purchase (a Navajo rug, a major silver and turquoise piece, or a serious pottery acquisition), plan a full day in Gallup with time to compare inventory across all three anchor trading posts before making a final decision. Trading post proprietors are generally understanding of buyers comparing inventory across shops and will hold specific items for short periods while a buyer considers alternatives.

For Route 66 road-trippers, Coal Avenue is the only stretch of the entire Mother Road where authentic working trading posts remain in substantial concentration. Other Native craft destinations along Route 66 (the Albuquerque Old Town shops, the Winslow trading posts, the Flagstaff galleries) all include some authentic work, but the density and authenticity at Coal Avenue is unique. For travelers serious about a single meaningful Native art purchase on a Route 66 trip, Coal Avenue is the most reliable single destination.