Meow Files: Eva Gonzalez, Gift Shop Specialist

When you visit Meow Wolf's gift shop, you're bound to meet Eva Gonzalez. She'll have a huge smile on her face and be doing what she does best: interacting with people.

Eva has been a resident of Santa Fe for her whole life and loves working in the same part of town in which she was raised. Before Meow Wolf, Gonzalez worked for Giant. She loved seeing her regular customer base every day. Interactions with people give Eva her upbeat personality and charm.

Gonzalez talks fondly about her childhood in Santa Fe, where she has also brought up her four children. “Santa Fe used to have a roller rink, drive in movie theaters and a disco, but all of those things disappeared in the 80’s. The drive in theater on Cerrillos had a swing set in front of the screen. We used to pay five dollars for a packed car load of kids to swing and watch films.” She's always liked the smaller, more relaxed feel of the town.

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“We used to head out into the mountains, before there were any housing developments. I still go see our old mountains and our old caves. Even if you can’t go back up there like we used to. We used to sleep out there in the mountains and get scared by the story of La Llorona.”

When asked about music, her face lights up with a big smile. “I used to see lots of concerts! I was a heavy metal hog!” Gonzalez is the youngest among six brothers and one sister and often snuck into adult concerts at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque. “I saw Fleetwood Mac there, I guess I was about 12 years old. I also remember seeing ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin with my brothers.”

Gonzalez owns a home in Chihuahua and likes to travel to Mexico as often as she can. Both her husband and father moved to Santa Fe from Chihuahua. Keeping those roots and connections is extremely important to her. “We were able to go to Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán a few months ago.” Gonzalez recalled, “It was nice to eat and spend time with family.”

When asked about other things that inspire or drive her to be the vibrant and happy person she is, Gonzalez mentions her dreams of getting more involved with art. Sculpting, construction and painting are just a few of the things she says she wants to explore. “I always want to be learning new things. I’m the kind of person who is always willing to work and be taught.”

Eva Gonzalez is a New Mexican through and though, never wanting to leave the city and state that she loves and taking a fierce and vested interest in the future of her town. “I could never leave this place permanently.”

And if anyone was curious, she likes her chile spicy and Christmas style.

All photos and video by Kate Russell.