A space dedicated to the history of the B Ruppe, the legacy of curandera, Maclovia Zamora and the art of curanderismo
“At Ruppe’s the herbals have become my domain. Often my sister Fannie and I have gone out to the desert, the ditches, and the mountains just to go out to pick some of the recognizable herbs”
The B Ruppe Drugstore
Once the center of healing in the Barelas neighborhood, the B Ruppe Drugstore was the longest continuously operating pharmacy in Albuquerque. The original pharmacy was founded in 1883 by German Immigrant, Bernard Ruppe, and operated as both a traditional and herbal pharmacy. Bernard Ruppe moved to Albuquerque in 1880 began working for New Mexico druggist, E.V. Kent. Kent sold Ruppe his pharmacy, which then became “B Ruppe Cosmopolitan Pharmacy.” In 1892, Ruppe moved the pharmacy to “New Town” on Railroad Avenue (present-day Central Avenue), and in 1924 moved again to Second Street. In 1913, Alberto Alarid began working for Bernard Ruppe, starting in bicycle delivery, working his way up to store manager, and then eventually purchasing the store from Ruppe’s heirs in 1951 (Bernard Ruppe died in 1937).
The Alarid family hired Tom Sanchez as a pharmacist after he graduated from UNM in 1949. The drugstore eventually worked its way to its current location in Barelas in 1965 when Tom Sanchez took over the business. Tom purchased the B Ruppe Drugstore from the Alarid family in 1979 and upheld Ruppe’s business model of offering both allopathic pharmaceuticals and herbal remedies. In 1981, Tom’s sister-in-law, Maclovia Sanchez de Zamora began working at the B Ruppe Drugstore. She had just moved back to Albuquerque after her husband’s military career ended.
Maclovia became part owner of the pharmacy in 1985 and converted it from a traditional pharmacy to a yerbería, creating a rebirth of the B Ruppe Drugstore. Doña Maclovia ran the B Ruppe Drugstore until it officially closed in 2017. Homewise purchased the B Ruppe Drugstore in 2017 with guidance from the Barelas Community Coalition and the concept of the museum was created to honor the history of the B Ruppe Drugstore and Maclovia’s legacy as a curandera.
Micro Museum In the News:
Special Thanks to:
The National Hispanic Cultural Center
Dr. Eliseo Torres
Dr. Monica Lucero & Red Root Acupuncture
Rudy J. Miera
Historic Albuquerque, Inc.
the Family of Maclovia Zamora
the Family of Berard Ruppe
Cut Throat Designs
Candace Morales & Vincent de Carlo
Albuquerque Community Foundation