Pioneer Natural Resources’ Super Stars of Business
Solano’s Boot and Western Wear of Raton NM
by debbie
Four generations of Solanos work in the store, from great grandson at the age of 6, to Andy who is WAY OVER 6!
Andy and Fabie Solano have been in business for 56 + years. They have owned the building, which was built in 1918, since the 60’s. The building has seen a variety of occupants over the years, but none as dedicated and committed to Raton as the Solano family.
Andy is a “cobbler” of great renown and demand. If it is leather, he can make it, mend it, or design it. He claims to be slowing down, but if you go into his shop and he is moving constantly. He is a master of his trade and more than fair in his prices.
Fabie and “the girls”; Sandy, Valerie and Tiffany, run the retail (and internet)boot and western wear store. They carry the best brands of boots, clothes, and hats. The hats themselves are a story. They started collecting old hats in the 70’s when a kid from Springer bought a new hat. The kid asked if they could throw away his old one. Ralph thought it had an unusual brim, so they put it on the wagon wheel for display.
That one hat display has grown to 340 hats. All have been “mapped” and recorded. If you had a relative leave a hat for display, the Solano’s can look up the name, number and show you the old hat. In fact Andy and Fabie are gathering stories to put in a book. They want all the stories they can get from the owners and the families of the hats on display. This book would be stories of where the hats came from, where they have been, and or what they have seen.
Sandy mentioned the upcoming holiday sales, but don’t wait that long. Get into Solano’s today and be part of Raton’s history and economy.
