Tag Archives: Aztec New Mexico

Signs Of Aztec

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Aztec, New Mexico is a cute town with some interesting storefronts. There are some especially nice signs outside several shops. It may not be Heaven On Earth as the sign pictured above suggests but it did feel like a welcoming place.

I was especially charmed by this optometrist’s sign. Optik Icare Iwear is the kind of business name I would typically despise but it works well with this sign so I’ll forgive them. In case you are wondering I also hate it when businesses get cute by purposefully misspelling words like Kay’s Kountry Korner. My English major heart withers at the thought. But I digress…..

The star of the show is this old Aztec Theater sign. It opened in 1927 under the name Mayan Theater. By the forties it had been renamed Aztec. Now the theater operates as a concert hall under a different name. I imagine this place has been an important source of entertainment and community for this small town.

The marketing nerd in me absolutely adores interesting signs. Towns that have great signage tend to have more character and businesses that employ some fun and imagination in their signs get bonus points from me.

Do you notice signs? Do they matter to you or are they just clutter?

St. Joseph Church of Aztec

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Before leaving Aztec, New Mexico, we circled back to a church at the edge of town that I had admired on the way in.

St. Joseph Church was built in 1946 and is positively charming. It’s cheerful and brightly decorated with beautiful pots of flowers.

I was just snapping a couple of cell phone pictures when a sedan stopped in the street and blew the horn.

The elderly driver of this car rolled down the window to ask if I was ok. I told her that I just liked the church and she thanked me. She attends this church and told me about how beautiful it is inside. She invited me to attend a service someday and shared stories about the kindness shown to her by the congregation during recent times of trouble.

She shared about her upcoming visit with her son who nearly died of Covid and about her boyfriend who recently passed away.

She was delightful and I was touched by her concern.

I shared with her a little about the road trip I was on with my friend and she asked about Ohio. She wished us a safe journey and promised to pray for our safe return to our respective homes.

Later I learned that her beautiful church has been vandalized a few times in the last year. I imagine she was actually concerned about her house of worship and the intentions of a stranger. You can read a story about the vandalism here.

It’s ridiculous that this is a worry but I’m always glad for those good Samaritans who keep their eyes peeled for potential trouble. The world could use more people like that.