Starbucks, others on way to San Isidro Village

Bob Quick | The New Mexican

4/28/2008 - 4/29/08

New businesses are coming to San Isidro Village, said Jeff Branch, the developer of the west-side property.

They include a Starbucks, which is opening in about a month. It will be Santa Fe's fourth, joining those on Zafarano Drive, on West San Francisco Street and at DeVargas Center.

Also on the way to San Isidro Village is Rocky's Sports Bar and Grill, which will move from College Plaza West shopping center.

And Cleopatra Café, which is in the Santa Fe Design Center, is opening a second location at San Isidro Village, Branch said.

Also, Branch and Walter Espinoza, who used to run the food-and-beverage operation at the Eldorado Hotel, are opening a bar and grill.

"It will be fun and festive, and we'll have good food," Branch said, adding that the restaurant has tentatively been named the Capital Bar and Grill.

Another restaurant, one with a bakery, will also be opening in San Isidro Village, he said.

And next to Massage Envy, Kate Brennan Shoes and Such is set to open, Branch added.

In addition to all of these stores, a natural-food store, Sunflower Farmers Market, will open next spring.

California Pastrami was also supposed to open in San Isidro Village, but Branch said he is unsure if that business is actually going to do so.


The town of Taos has earned the designation as a "fair-trade town," making it the first town in New Mexico, and indeed, in the western U.S., to earn the title.

"There are already more than 300 communities in Europe recognized as fair-trade towns," publicist Peter St. Cyr said in a statement.

Taos Mayor Bobby F. Duran said in the statement, "We know the importance of fair trade and recognize our responsibility to help educate others ... about the importance of fair trade."

"Fair Trade is a market model that allows farmers and producers of goods a fair price for their products and establishes economic sustainability and security for entire communities," said Chris Pieper, chair of the Town of Taos Fair Trade Steering Committee, in the statement.

For more information, call St. Cyr at 505-319-3237.


Thanks to all that snow, the recently concluded ski season was a good one, according to Ski New Mexico.

There was a 4 percent gain over the 2006-2007 ski season, with the number of skier visits in 2007-2008 at 716,477 compared with 689,244 in the previous season.

The best ski season in recent memory was in 1994-1995, with 1,302,771 skier visits, Ski New Mexico says, while the weakest was 2005-2006, with 416,617 skier visits.

Bob Quick covers the business beat for The New Mexican. Call 986-9147 or e-mail bobquick@sfnewmexican.com.