As you drive east on Interstate 10 through Doña Ana County, New Mexico, toward El Paso, you’ll see pecan orchards, empty dairies, and eventually, a big white banner spanning alongside the highway reading: “Drink more milk, eat more ice cream.” A few short turns off the highway’s exit will land you at Landmark Mercantile, a state-of-the-art roping facility, dairy supply, and an expansive tack store.
Inside, you’re likely to find owner Jason McClure — an avid biker who’s likely dressed casually in shorts and tennis shoes, flanked by his mastiff and great Dane. His wife, Michelle McClure, brings industry experience from a life spent in the dairy industry.
Founded in 2001 as a dairy supply business in a 30-by-40-foot shop in Vado on one of those local dairies, its inception coincided with a period when the agricultural landscape in New Mexico was beginning to experience significant shifts, with dairy farms gradually diminishing over the years.
The McClures’ ability to pivot from dairy supply to a diversified hub for livestock, tack, and agricultural needs showcases a keen understanding of both opportunity and necessity. But it’s the quirks — like the legendary camel wedding, the eclectic zoo, and the impromptu toilet paper boom during the pandemic — that cement Landmark as more than a business.
As dairies in the area began to shrink, Jason and Michelle McClure looked to expand.
“It was need, and greed,” quipped McClure, explaining why their business began to expand. “But, it’s something that’s taken all of us: Dairy farmers, my staff, customers, and the community.”
Landmark Mercantile opened as a retail location in 2005, offering animal supplies, feed, tack, and Western boutique items. The store quickly became a local fixture, thanks in part to its eclectic charm, including 30 resident barn cats and, eventually, a small zoo. The first exotic animal — a dromedary camel — arrived almost by accident.
Jason McClure recalls stopping at a gas station one night and convincing a local student to board his camel at the store while finishing school. When the camel moved on, the McClures bought two more, Sarah and Clyde, who became the stars of a Valentine’s Day camel wedding in 2012, attracting national media attention.
To house the camels and other animals, the McClures obtained a zoo license. Over time, the zoo expanded to emus, buffalo, miniature horses, and more. Broken or unsellable feed from the store provided a sustainable way to care for the animals. The zoo also became a magnet for special needs groups, who found it a welcoming place to connect with animals.
“People started dropping off all kinds of cattle. We had a buffalo, and it just kind of grew from there. Hoarders know crazy, they smell crazy,” McClure said with a laugh. “In a feed store, you always have broken bags, broken bales, bottom bales on trucks of feed, and nobody wants to buy those, so it’s been a positive outlet to be able to feed those animals and utilize that feed.”
Aside from attracting onlookers, special needs groups from facilities in the area regularly stop by to allow their clients to interact with the animals.
“It’s one of the reasons we’ve kept it going, although we didn’t intend for it to become that,” explained McClure. “But let’s be clear — we don’t see ourselves as stewards or anyone doing God’s work. It’s not about that at all. It’s just that the animals really have a connection with people, and it’s something special. It’s a lot of fun to see folks come out and enjoy it.”
The zoo is just one of the business decisions the McClures have made that have had unintended benefits. In 2012, Landmark built an arena next to the store for customers to try out saddles that the store offered for sale. Soon, people were asking to hold events at the arena. The store hosted gymkhanas (sporting events for horse riders and drivers) for seven years with the help of other locals, blossoming into a hub for other outside events as well over the years.
However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In 2017, an electrical fire ravaged the property, causing over $1 million in damage. McClure and his team rebuilt the business from the ground up, expanding their facilities and emerging stronger.
But in an unfortunate twist, another fire broke out just a year later. This time, hundreds of hay bales ignited, sending thick smoke billowing across the landscape. McClure, skeptical about the cause at the time, noted, “This one looked like it was outside in. We moisture test all the hay that’s out here. Internal combustion is really tough to happen, especially the way we stack it.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, amid stringent restrictions in New Mexico, Landmark became a vital space for events.
“And, you know, the toilet paper,” McClure recalled with a chuckle. “We already supply it to the local dairies. But, when COVID hit, we sold 26,000 rolls of toilet paper in three months. We’d get a pallet every day for weeks and weeks, and we’d sell it out by the end of the day. The whole community would come out and buy, not just for themselves but for others. It was incredible.”
The arena was instrumental in ensuring that gymkanas, ropings, and 4-H expos continued, offering youth and families a chance to showcase their hard work. Notably, Landmark hosted the Turquoise Circuit Barrel Racing Finals in 2020, earning the Innovative Rodeo of the Year award for stepping in when other venues couldn’t host.
“They didn’t want to fall behind without circuit finals,” Michelle McClure explained. “So, we did a circuit barrel race finals here. It wasn’t something we could do alone — everyone from 4-H leaders to parents worked so hard to make it happen.”
The mercantile also held livestock shows for Dona Ana County’s junior exhibitors, and a celebration of life for local legend, veterinarian, and team roper J.t. “Skip” Prichard.
Jason McClure emphasizes that the success of these events was a community effort.
“Strategic planning, facilitating — it was all about the people who came together to make it work,” he said. “We weren’t the only ones doing it, but it was important to provide a place where these things could still happen.”
The events weren’t without controversy. Passers-by frequently reported the gatherings, leading to regular visits from law enforcement. McClure remembers the frustration but also the determination to keep going.
“We’d get complaints constantly — every 10 minutes during an event. People thought the world was ending. But the state police were fantastic. They saw what we were doing, and they understood,” he said.
The store’s close proximity to large urban areas has helped it to attract a mix of urban and rural customers, bringing in people who might not otherwise frequent an agricultural supply store. Supply chain issues and interest in chickens also increased questions the store got from those not involved in the ag world.
“And people started coming that had never been here before,” Jason McClure said. “Chickens were a big draw. At one point, we had over 300 full-grown chickens here, and they sold out within a week. People just lost their minds about chickens and eggs.”
The frenzy for chickens during the pandemic became another way that the store pivoted to meet the needs of the public.
“We’ve always sold full-grown chickens and chicks, but suddenly there was this panic,” Michelle McClure recalled. “People were calling us, saying, ‘We need chickens, we need eggs!’ I had one lady who told me she’d bought a coop online and was ready for eggs. I had to explain it would take nine months for her chicks to start laying, and she was in total disbelief. It was hilarious but also a little overwhelming.”
Even as the world has adjusted post-pandemic, the arena continues to host regular events, from gymkanas to high school rodeos.
“We still have three gymkana groups who come out every month,” Jason McClure noted. “These folks work so hard to put on these events, and it’s amazing to see the dedication they bring.”
In addition to the arena and events, Landmark Mercantile recently expanded its operations with the opening of a sale barn. The decision was born out of necessity after the closure of livestock auctions in nearby El Paso, and Deming left a significant gap in the region.
“The sale in El Paso shut down about a year ago, in June,” McClure explained. “There was nothing out here. This Southwest region had a big one in Deming for years, but when that closed too, there was a real need.”
McClure and his team worked diligently to launch the new sale barn, focusing on building the right infrastructure and assembling a skilled crew.
“It’s not just about opening the doors,” he said. “You need dynamic sellers and buyers, plus the right people — your office staff, auctioneer, and workers. It takes a whole crew to make this work.”
The sale barn began operations in July as a learning opportunity, allowing the team to refine their systems with smaller auctions.
“Now it’s building steam and getting better every week,” McClure said proudly. With the closest alternatives being in Roswell, Clovis, and Wilcox, the barn has quickly become a vital resource for livestock producers in the area.
Landmark Mercantile has evolved far beyond its origins as a simple dairy supplier, blending tradition with innovation.
As Jason McClure put it: “It’s never been about us alone — it’s about the people, the animals, and the work we’ve all put into this place.” Over the years, Landmark has grown into a valuable hub for agriculture and a welcoming place for people to connect, work, and gather
Heidi Crnkovic, is the Associate Editor for AGDAILY. She is a New Mexico native with deep-seated roots in the Southwest and a passion for all things agriculture.
