Curious about curios? Well make sure you pull over for this Route 66 roadside attraction: Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari, New Mexico is a tee pee-shaped building with an iconic neon sign that is full of fun both inside and out!
Built in 1944, the building was originally operated as a Tee Pee Trading Post with a Gulf service station out front. But it also used many different names through the years, operating as a gas station, grocery, and curio shop before inevitably succumbing to tourism lull brought by I-40s replacement of The Mother Road.
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Originally the section of Route 66 that trailed through Tucumcari was a two-lane road. When it was eventually widened to four lanes, the gas pumps were removed and the now iconic teepee entrance was added.
Now known as Tee Pee Curios (or TeePee Curios, signs there read both ways) it serves as a fun Route 66 roadside attraction and a souvenir shop to pick up those magnets, t-shirts, mugs, and postcards to commemorate your road trip. They also sell local New Mexican wares, like jewelry and pottery.
The building is known for its unique design that features a teepee protruding from the center and serving as an entrance to the shop. It’s also known for its iconic neon sign that shines bright after dark. That sign was added around 1960 and was restored in 2003 as part of the New Mexico Route 66 Neon Sign Restoration Project.
You an also find several murals on the sides of the building, a truck driven by an oversized skeleton, and a big Route 66 shield painted on the sidewalk, all perfect for those Instagram selfies.
Love this New Mexico Route 66 roadside attraction? Check out these other things to see in Tucumcari: the Route 66 monument, the Route 66 museum, the big La Cita sombrero, and dinner at Del’s Restaurant.
Want to spend the night in the perfect motel in Tucumcari, NM? Book a stay at Motel Safari or Blue Swallow Motel.
More photos of Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari, New Mexico on Route 66
Tee Pee Curios
Address: 924 E Rte 66 Blvd, Tucumcari, NM 88401
Cost: Free to See, Souvenir Costs Vary
Hours: 8am-6pm, Monday-Saturday; 8am-3pm Sunday (hours may change)
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