Hector Tamayo Talks Fitness and Mexican Art

Hector Tamayo is passionate about wellness and Mexico’s rich artistic heritage. As Retail Manager for the Mercado and Bazar Del Sol, he shares his enthusiasm via his careful and creative choices of clothing, gifts and artwork. He’s also overseeing the remodel of the Mercado, which will be completed in September. I talked with Hector to learn more about his role at Rancho La Puerta.

How long have you worked at Rancho La Puerta?

I left The Ranch for a few years but I’m back because of my passion  for The Ranch and Mexico’s Art. I want to share that with the guests. It’s a big satisfaction to me.

What’s Rancho La Puerta’s philosophy when it come to the Mercado and the Bazar Del Sol?

The philosophy of the Mercado is related to three things:
1. Everyday items a guest might need or forgot but wants while at The Ranch.
2. Souvenirs to take home to remind guests of their visit.
3. Traditional Mexican Arts. Our philosophy is that when a guest buys something they’re supporting and keeping tradition alive. We have close to ten of Mexico’s regions represented. Guests like to come and buy “Mexico” and take home a bit of culture and tradition. I travel to artists homes and studios three times a year, working directly with them. In the Bazar Del Sol we feature bigger items and more home décor items, furniture and art.

The Mercado will move from its current location to the newly remodeled store in September. Why the remodel?

The Mercado has grown so much. We need more space to show items the guests are looking for as part of their experience.

With the new remodel we’ll expand our running, fitness and yoga clothing lines. We carry clothes that you can workout in or go to dinner. The Mercado has something for everyone. We feature quality brands including Prana, NUX, Under Armour and Uvida that support our philosophy of staying healthy by being active.

How do you price items?

We strive to be fair. If guests see the same clothing someplace else, they’ll see that our lines are priced similarly. With the Mexican Art, we try to respect the selling point of the artist and sell at a price point they request.

Our best selling items are the Rancho La Puerta branded clothing and the granola. The guests love the granola.  We also sell books and clothing lines that meet our guests needs. We can ship items anywhere in the States. If guests purchase something and it’s difficult to carry or they don’t want to pack it home, we can ship and there isn’t an import duty.

When not in the Mercado or Bazar Del Sol, you can find Hector taking a fitness class, running or hiking the trails around Rancho La Puerta.