An Uptown Albuquerque business owner who has been the target of thieves and attempted burglaries for the past year has announced that she will be closing her store for good next month. Groove Boutique has been dealing with broken glass and stolen merchandise since last April, even before it officially opened to the public. Owner Leticia Leyba has expressed her frustrations with the lack of progress on crime in Uptown and the challenges she has faced with local leadership.
Despite hiring private security and obtaining a concealed carry permit for protection, Leyba recently revealed on Instagram that it was not enough to prevent further damage to her store. She expressed her disappointment in how things have turned out, stating that she did not expect it to end this way. However, Leyba remains optimistic about the future of Groove Boutique and mentioned that she will be transitioning her business online.
The last day to shop in-store at Groove Boutique will be on July 6. Leyba’s decision to move her business online comes after continued issues with theft and vandalism that have made it difficult to sustain her physical store location. Despite this setback, Leyba is determined to continue running Groove Boutique and hopes to see it flourish in a new online format.