Month: February 2011

[caption id="attachment_24" align="alignright" width="864"]The Santa Cruz Chili and Spice Company was founded in 1943. (Photo by Samantha Sais/ASNS)[/caption]The odor of spices inside Santa Cruz Chili and Spice Company in Tumacacori greets visitors even before they open the front door.

Here, spices are not just a product. They’re a craft and a tradition. Sauces, powders and pastes of all colors fill the store from wall to wall.  Some are local flavors, such as the company’s own brand of chili sauces and powders made from fresh peppers harvested on family owned farms each fall and processed at a factory in Pearce.

The company was founded in 1943, though its origin dates back to 1931 when Gene England came to the Southwest and bought a ranch in the Santa Cruz River Valley. Over time, the business expanded, and now the store only has to handle retail sales as well as packaging, labeling and shipping of online sales.

For John Fields, or “Johnny One Dog” as he’s known around town, an old and possibly unstable adobe garage is the perfect place from which to sell sarsaparilla.

The 67-year-old’s business is known as Johnny One Dog’s Tombstone Sarsaparilla. It’s located on Third Street between Fremont and Allen streets and has been open since late last year.

Johnny said the idea to sell sarsaparilla came to him during one of his regular walks with his dog, Jenny. He noticed that the town’s shops only sold Sioux City Sarsaparilla.

“Sioux City has had the market for years, and I saw a need for Tombstone’s own private label,” he said. “Tombstone is a famous town in the Old West. I thought it would be a good souvenir item.”

Johnny then scribbled a few sketches for a label, which included a logo that consisted of a “J,” “1” and “D” to symbolize his nickname, which evolved from locals saying, “There’s John and his one dog,” Jenny.

With his sketches, he turned to John Ludwig, a Tombstone art designer.