Old Apple Barn — Attraction in New Mexico

I had been dying to go to the Apple Barn since I was unable to make it last visit to New Mexico. I grew up with Midwest orchard apples, apple butters and I absolutely love pie. I would eat pie for breakfast if I could. The location is definitely fun and there is so much to look at. Five stars definitely on the gaiety of the shop itself. I was very excited to try the pie there but was extremely disappointed. It was an apple crumble, and the crumble topping was exceptional, with just enough crunch to give a nice texture without losing the integrity of the moistness. Spiced to autumn perfection. That being said, the filling appeared to be generic canned Apple pie filling you get at a grocery store. Tho not overly sweet, which was nice, it was that kind of goopy gelatinous texture that was both visually and palatably unappealing. I have honestly had better pie from a grocer's bakery. It wasn't even presented nicely- it looked as if the sales clerk had dropped it while cutting the slice then tried smushing it into a slice. There were other nicer slices in the display (I would recommend maybe sampling that out instead). It was super busy so not a good time to really say anything. So, bummer deal on the pie. Maybe the pecan was more dazzling. On top of that, ciders were advertised. To my daughter's dismay, it was frozen like granita. Being the end of September I would expect there to at least be hot cider available but all of it was cold. I was encouraged to buy a pint of cherry cider from the fridge but it didn't make sense since she wanted plain hot cider. To top off the end of the dismal pie and cider affair, my son (8) gently picked up a small R2D2 and asked if he could purchase a model kit with his money. The woman at the counter immediately told him to put it down because that was for customers and it was delicate. (It didn't really look delicate, it was fairly a nondescript metallic toy). That was after he had (also gently) picked up a way more intricate pirate ship to show me (because he loves ships and builds a lot of elaborate models at home). Now, had he been a dick about it, handling it roughly, I could see where she may get perturbed. But I couldn't see the model from my height (I am 5'10) as the entire display was clearly made to entice children or those more diminutive in stature. I literally would have had to squat down to see it. He had no way of showing me without picking it up. Considering that he also had asked if he could buy it, I felt the attitude of the clerk was a bit out of line. This deterred me from allowing the purchase - he is a kid, yes, but since the store appeal is based on getting children to be enticed to have parents (and children at heart) buy lots of things, a little courtesy might be nice. If you worry so much about things breaking, I suggest not putting such items at a child's eye and hand level. I definitely would go here with the idea of seeing a quaint novelty souvenir shop. Lots of fun things to see. It was worth looking for sure. Also bring cash unless you plan on spending more than $10- I got charged .50 for my $5 transaction. Apparently the minimum is way higher than most business' $5 minimum to use plastic. I didn't argue the point I just didn't want to spend another minute (or dollar) there after our experience. There may be lots of reasons for what happened - I've worked in retail, with tourism can definitely come feelings of being burned out and exasperation with crowds. But as a frequent traveler and die hard pie lover, I was definitely underwhelmed by what I had previously felt would be an exceptional experience. However, in reading others' reviews, it looks like we aren't the only ones observing the very unfriendly and child-hostile attitudes from the...

Overall: Nice enough tourist shop with a wide range of knick-knacks and a selection of treats for the road weary traveler. (juice, fudge, ice cream, pie, and hot dogs) The food had a home made vibe but did come across as a bit "mass produced". Details below...

My wife wanted to check it out based on the roadside sign. She's big on apple pie. A nice drive leads up to it from the highway. The parking lot is small but they had someone stationed to manage the traffic and get folks settled (great way to handle that).

Inside is a shop crammed with curios of all sorts. Some local, most not. They range from geeky novelty items to home decor, to candy, to local art, to motivational signs, to cheap toys. Lots of ironwork. Its a huge selection in a somewhat small space so isles are very narrow and if crowded (As it was) it can feel pretty claustrophobic. No where to stand and inspect the merchandise without blocking someone else.

In one corner there are the food counters. They feature pie, cider, ice cream, fudge, and hot dogs, but have various other candies and such. My wife had an Apple Pie, the frozen Apple Cider, and I got a jug of Cherry Cider from the Freezer. I considered a hot dog, but they looked pretty generic to me so I passed.

My wife was disappointed with the pie. It was served chilled rather than hot. The crumble crust was too hard and thick to cut with the plastic fork provided but tasted decent. The apples were crisp (which was nice) but they were swimming in a thick sticky gel that was overly sweet and not very flavorful. Nothing bad about it, just not at all to her or my tastes. She called it "supermarket quality, nothing special."

The frozen apple drink was kind of an apple cider slushy. I thought it tasted almost exactly like chilled apple sauce. Spicy, cold and with a smooth consistency. We both rather liked it.

My cherry cider was really sweet, but at the same time very flavorful both of cherries and the spice they used. I'd go less sweet but overall I was quite happy with it and appreciative since its rare to find Cherry cider. You may want to water it down a little as my wife did to get a milder taste. I liked it strong.

Like the curio part of the shop, the food area was pretty crowded and a little chaotic due to the very small space. Outside there are only a few seats on the porch so this is a "get it to go" eating establishment.

I can't fault the management or staff, they have limited space to work with and make the best of it they can and were very friendly despite the rush and crush.

I think we were hoping for both a much wider range of apple goodies, and more space to sit down and enjoy them in. We felt rushed and crowded here (it was a weekend so probably a very busy time). The apple pie as disappointing but there was nothing wrong with it, just not to our tastes. The drinks were very good and also unique...

We always stop at the Apple Barn, and we are sad to have to leave town and miss out on our weekly/monthly outings. We tend to stop through on our way into or out of Cloudcroft, or as something to do to get out of the house.

There's a lot to see when you go, so you have to make the trip around the store a few times to see most of it. You have to look high, and need to look low and in little hidey-holes or corners... otherwise you will miss some of their best stuff. We always make a point to get some of their homemade food, the elk-dogs are great, and the fudge is that guilty pleasure you keep coming back for. We always find little knick-knacks or home décor, but it never makes us feel "tourist-y". I think there is a little something for everyone in there. Tons of local goods and items. You really feel like you are supporting your own community when you shop there.

I've never had an issue with the staff as others have said. Miss Beverly is probably one of the greatest people you'll ever meet. She is a very unique and downright pleasant person, and has a tremendous passion for what she does with the Apple Barn. Our experience is just that much better when she is there to talk to us. Now, they have hired a fair amount of newer folks, so they are trying to find their place in the organized chaos and deliver the same exceptional service we have come to expect. It will take some time to find their stride, but I have never felt ignored or left feeling we've had bad service.

I think the biggest draw to the store is the rotating inventory. You need to come during Christmas to see their inventory shine. You have to make a point to come during both apple and cherry seasons to experience new food, drink, or fudge flavors. You spend two months away from the store and they've managed to squeeze even more selection onto the shelves. It makes it worth at least a couple trips throughout the year... it's kind of a staple.

Watch out for the winding and narrow aisles, see some friendly faces, and feel like you'd like to live in whatever universe/time period hybrid the Apple Barn offers... we will miss not...