4 Best Shopping in Los Ranchos/North Valley, Albuquerque

This North Valley stalwart has been reviving readers' spirits for many a year in a cozy neighborhood setting. A committed independent seller, Bookworks fairly prides itself on service, and booklovers from all corners flock here for its fine stock of regional coffee-table books, a well-culled selection of modern fiction and nonfiction, architecture and design titles, well-chosen calendars and cards, and a (small) playground's worth of kids' books. Regular signings and readings draw some big guns to this compact treasure.

Ramble north on this rural stretch of Edith Boulevard and your reward is not only a bit of Albuquerque history en route (the old Camino Real ran along Edith), but the unexpected wonder that is Eldora Chocolate. The actual chocolate making happens here, too, and the many shop's many awards attest to owner Steve Prickett’s attention to quality and the nuances of the chocolate bean. This is true artisanal chocolate—any aficionado is sure to learn something special about their 70% Tanzanian, say, and tastings are offered freely.

A destination on its own, the wonderful Farm Shop at the renowned Los Poblanos Inn carries a distinctive selection of books, culinary gadgets, fine crafts from local makers (jewelry, textiles, ceramics), the same soothing and perfectly scented lavender lotions and soaps found in the inn's guestrooms, and a considerable variety of artisan jams, vinegars, and sauces. For takeaway sustenance, the inn's Campo kitchen whips up crisply crusted breads, sandwiches, coffee, tea, and cakes.

Exploring the farther reaches of the rural North Valley takes you past small adobe antique shops and mom-and-pop-type finds, but then there is the unexpected two-story stack of 1800s-vintage terrone block that forms the colorfully inviting La Parada. Inside, its longtime owner shows a keen eye for crafts from across the Americas (fantastic Haitian tin work made from recycled oil drums, charming blue-and-white painted D’Casa pottery from Guadalajara) and around the globe. All show the artists’ hands, as does the outstanding selection of vintage ties, handkerchiefs, and linens for sale.