Very little information is available online about this Route 66 business. I was able to find some information through the Route 66 group on Facebook and have attempted to summarize that in here. If you have additional information to help bring more accuracy and history to light, please message me directly through the contact link below.
Welcome to the Reagle Photography Route 66 centennial collection! When Dez and I set out on our 18-day road trip from Santa Monica to Chicago to document the Mother Road, we knew we wanted to capture the quiet, fading ghosts of the highway just as much as the famous neon giants. Out of the 100 images carefully curated for the book, this vibrant yellow sign standing tall in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, holds a special place in our journey.
While producing our travel video series along the route, we quickly realized that some roadside stops guard their history closely. Unlike the heavily documented motel chains, Bobby's Trading Post is one of those beautiful, elusive mysteries. Thankfully, through the incredible, tight-knit Route 66 community, the pieces of its past have finally come together to enrich this interactive book experience.
Here is the hidden history behind that striking yellow and red sign. (source: Tony Paglia via Historic Route 66 Facebook page and the comments added by members of that group)
From Tourist Cabins to Trading Post: Long before it was a flea market, this property began its life in the early 1930s as the Coronado Court tourist cabins. The physical building that eventually became Bobby's Trading Post was originally built as a Conoco gas station attached to the cabins, later operating as a Sinclair station to fuel up mid-century motorists. Historical aerial photographs from 1973 show the original footprint of the property, revealing that at least one of the original tourist court wings was eventually razed, leaving the main service station building standing in front of the remaining wing.
The Serrano Family Connection: So, who exactly was Bobby? In 1968, the Coronado Courts property was owned by a local man named Luciano Serrano. The namesake for the trading post comes directly from Luciano's younger brother, Bobby Serrano. Under the Serrano family's legacy, the former gas station transitioned into a classic "buy and sell" roadside trading post, encapsulating the deep entrepreneurial spirit of the highway.
A Sign of Many Colors: The towering, crown-shaped sign hasn't always sported the bright yellow palette we see today. As recently as 2004, the sign was painted a faded light blue, with weathered lettering that proudly read, "BUY & SELL Everything." An adjacent "Historic Route 66" sign also stood nearby during that era but has since disappeared. It wasn't until 2018 that the main sign received a fresh coat of the striking yellow paint that beautifully contrasts against the deep New Mexico sky in our photograph.
Bobby's Trading Post Today: As of 2024, Bobby's Trading Post has officially and permanently closed its doors as a retail business. However, the property is not entirely abandoned; the building is currently being used actively for storage.
And for those who appreciate the quirky, unchanging details of roadside Americana: if you look closely around the property, you might spot a particular dumpster sitting out front. According to longtime Route 66 photographers, that exact dumpster appears to have sat in the exact same spot, completely unmoved, for over twenty years!
Location Details
The exact GPS coordinates for Bobby's Trading Post Buy & Sell Flea Market in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, are approximately 34.9392° N, 104.6811° W (with a general city center mapping of 34.9387° N, 104.6775° W).
Status: Permanently Closed. The former landmark and its iconic Route 66 road sign are no longer an active flea market or business.
Location: Situated along the historic Route 66 corridor in Santa Rosa, NM 88435.
Physical Address: Santa Rosa, NM 88435, on the intersection of Old Route 66 and Corona Ave