Just Imagine in the 90's

(Now the Tijeras Visitor's Center)

Just Imagine was born in 1985 with Anna King's decision to begin making jewelry out of her home in order to spend more time with her newly, first born son.

Industrious and hard-working by nature, but still wishing to have time to raise her son, Anna started making jewelry and selling to local boutiques. Beginning on a small scale, Anna's business eventually grew from selling locally, to shipping to department stores and retailers' nationwide.

With a growing need for employees and a larger studio, she soon moved her wholesale jewelry manufacturing operation out of her home and into what was once Marco Polo's Pizza on North Hwy 14 in Cedar Crest, NM.

Anna read in the paper that a new, larger building was being constructed for the Tijeras Post Office, and she quickly made arrangements to lease the old post office. Anna moved her operation to Tijeras, NM, and opened a small retail store in the front of her studio. She continued to grow her manufacturing business.

Over the following 12 years, Anna and her employees continued hand crafting jewelry in the back of the building while she expanded her retail store in the front.

Alongside her own work, Anna also began carrying several lines of jewelry and clothing from other artists. Gradually, her business grew from a simple jewelry making studio, to include a busy local retail store.

Expanding again, in 1998 Anna purchased the property across the street from her studio on Historic Route 66 in Tijeras. Since then, she has also built a gourmet coffee house at this location.

Today, Just Imagine Gallery is not only a retail store, but also a coffee house and, as of 2006, home of the Tijeras Open-Air Arts Market.