What's going on, Albuquerque?

From Lewd Pictures to Loud Preachers

Has anyone else noticed the lights on in the little brown building on Constitution and Carlisle?

This is the former site of "Jack Newsom Photography," a sketchy little place that I'd never seen open in the two years I've lived here. There was always the same crummy blue jeep parked out front, though, with a cord of some sort running from the jeep to the roof of the building.

But the jalopy wasn't what always caught my eye. It was the sign, handpainted right on the stucco, in classy (for the early 80's) brown and white paint. The two lines that always jumped out at me were, "Intimate Glamour!" and "Photos in our rustic mini ranch!" Who knows what kind of skin ol' Jackie was filming in the weed-infested yard he'd surrounded by corrugated steel sheets. But judging by the look of the place, it was some pretty sketchy stuff.

But now, there's new life in the place. I biked by about a month ago, and the painted words that had intrigued me for so long was painted over. A sign now read, "New Testament Evangelical Church." A vinyl banner hung from the roof, proclaiming "Service nightly, 7:30." Through the windows, an evangelical preacher was screaming and sweating and shaking his fist at the congregation.

I can only wonder if the parishioners know about their holy place's dubious, debaucherous past.

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Comment by Adelita on November 7, 2007 at 6:23am: Oh my, I actually did have my intimate glamour photo taken there in the 80's!! My hairstylist needed a hair model and used me to show proper big, over-permed, over-colored 80's hair. I ran across those photos recently. I don't know what what bigger - my hair, my eyebrows or my shoulder pads.

Comment by chantal on November 7, 2007 at 7:55am: I smell an anonymous internet resurfacing of those photos...

Comment by 973 on November 20, 2007 at 8:38am: I can't believe that glamorous stucco has been painted over! Well it's always high time for a church service where the fire BURNS! and the water TOILS! That would be way cool if it was actually like that. Thanks for this weird news and on-point insights.

Comment by H. Wren on December 1, 2007 at 6:31pm: I tried to take some pictures of the "Intimate Glamour" sign on the side of that building, but they never turned out....must have given my camera a seizure, or something. Now that there's a church next door, maybe the Lucky Boy will open on Sundays for post-sermon dining pleasure...

Comment by Benny the Icepick on December 9, 2007 at 6:56pm: // As did the sign for "Chinese Food and Hamburgers"//
Ah, you mean Lucky Boy? I've eaten there once. Huge portions for cheap, but don't expect a marvelous atmosphere or anything of nutritional value.

Comment by Phil_0 on December 28, 2007 at 11:39pm: I used to love Lucky Boy...maybe I should find my way back there soon.

Comment by Gemini Goddess on May 20, 2008 at 9:10am: I completely forgot about that place. I always wondered if anything was going to take over the building. Now I know...

Comment by LaGuera on November 26, 2008 at 10:32am: Ah. The rustic mini ranch. I know someone who actually had a family portrait done there. Heh. Rustic mini ranch. By the way, when my mom died last January, that new church was evangelizing her street. We asked them not to knock on the door during the wake. They were very respectful and promised they would not, but had a little prayer circle on the corner. I thought it was sweet.