The name of the shopping center is Indian Plaza, built in 1961. The owner/developer/builder had a logo featuring a smiling Paiute Indian holding a large spear-like red arrow stuck in the ground at his feet. Thus was the 1960s. His uncle had the idea of a sign shaped like the arrow, lettered at the feathers and outlined in neon, which it was for many years. Decades later (after the neon was gone), I "spearheaded" the idea of making it an official landmark so it wouldn't be torn down. The neighbors didn't object, so ta da, there it is...as long as the Grass Grows and the Wind Blows and Albuquerque still glows. Redone with LED it could be restored to the original, which I think would be really cool.

I grew up down the street from the Arrow and saw it everyday. My mom tells me that the arrow has been there since 1961, when the shopping center behind it was built and named Indian Plaza. Google tells me that the arrow was not directly related to the naming of the shipping center; the son of the original developer says the red arrow was a logo used by his dad’s company, American Builders, and they used the red arrow logo on billboards all over town. They figured a real arrow, supersized, on a quiet corner of what was then the outskirts of the city would draw attention.

The giant red arrow is outside of a Whole Foods store. We visited Albuquerque during quarantine and took a drive to see unique things, and this was one of them.

This is def a giant red arrow.

I didn't know this was a historical marker. For what I wonder?

It's a big fat arrow. That's about the size of it (other than about 30-35 feet tip to tail not counting the base). Going out of your way for it? Best on a twofer, maybe; such as: You need a lunch break and choose Whole Foods – it's on a corner of their parking lot so you could eat at indoor or outdoor seating, & get in all the gandering you want at the same time. Or, if you're a big fan of '60s era Paul Bunyan/Muffler Man sorta things, this may be a highlight for you. BTW, in the next year the Whole Foods will have moved across the street – so don't let that throw you.

When I was a kid, my family and I would drive down Indian School on our way to First Presbyterian Church (before the freeway). My parents told me and my two sisters that a giant Indian stood on top of Sandia Crest and shot that arrow! My husband and I ended up moving back to the area over 30 years ago. I would love to help advocate for re-lighting it for the 21st century.

Such a landmark. Let's do a musical about it. Let's call it the giant red arrow musical.