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Apparently, chopping down an almost 10-year-old tree in front of your store is a bad business move.
Albuquerque residents are complaining about Savvy Boutique, a new clothing store on the corner of Central Avenue and Wellesley Drive in Nob Hill, after the owner had a tree cut down in front of the store on Sunday without the city’s permission. The store is set to open next week.
The blog Duke City Fix broke the news on Monday. Since then, outraged Albuquerque residents have bombarded the store’s Facebook page with angry comments, saying the store has violated city codes by cutting down the tree down without any prior notice.
On Tuesday, Savvy Boutique owner Dave Sanchez issued a public apology on the store’s Facebook page. In it, he said he had the tree cut down to increase the visibility of the store’s sign. He said that although his actions might not seem reasonable for some people, his apology is sincere.
“I would have never guessed that cutting down a tree would affect so many people, but now that I see it does … I am truly sorry,” he said. “I am sure that doesn’t make sense to you and I’m pretty sure whatever I say, to help explain my actions, wouldn’t. So again, I apologize for not thinking in depth, before acting.”
On the store’s Facebook page, Sanchez said that to make up for his actions he’s willing to plant a new tree. He said he would make sure the oversight would not happen again.
“In lieu of restitution and in an attempt to try and make peace, I would like to offer to plant a new tree where ever you would like me to,” he said. “I do realize that I made a mistake and I hope my offer is sufficient, and I can assure you that this will never happen again, on our behalf.”
Sanchez declined to be interviewed.
But the apology did not suffice for some. On Tuesday night, an anonymous Albuquerque resident created a Facebook account named NobHill Tree. The account, which now has 372 friends, criticized the “illegal” move by Savvy Boutique.
“Why, Savvy, WHHHHHHHYYYYY?!!?!” the account posted.
City of Albuquerque Deputy Director of Communications Breanna Anderson said the City sent Park Maintenance officials to the site Tuesday to survey the damage. She said the city is still trying to contact Sanchez about the issue.
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Anderson said the city seeks to make Sanchez pay for the removal of the stump and for a replacement tree comparable to the size of the previous tree.
“It appears that the business owner did make a mistake by removing the tree,” she said. “We expect the cost of the stump removal, along with the purchase and planting of a new tree, to be sufficient and fair.”
According to NobHill Tree’s page, Sanchez planted a new tree Wednesday at about 2 p.m. near the site where the previous tree stood. The new tree is a mountain ash, almost half the size of the previous tree, according to the page. Sanchez did not remove the previous tree’s stump.
Not everybody has treated Savvy Boutique’s move with hostility.
David Edwards, an Albuquerque resident who owns the New Mexico Tea Company, said it was not the boutique’s intention to hurt the Nob Hill community. He said the incident should remind people of the importance of maintaining the environmental condition of the city.
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Edwards said. “Let’s use this as an opportunity to bring awareness about the importance of trees in the urban environment.”
On Wednesday, Edwards added a page to his website, NMTeaCo.com, called “in memory of NobHill Tree.” On the page, people can donate money for rural and urban tree-planting efforts. Edwards said he plans to raise $500 from the public and to donate another $500 from his business. He said Tree New Mexico will match the total amount, for a total of $2,000, which they will use to plant 20 new trees around Albuquerque.
Edwards said he believes the issue will pass quickly.
“Unfortunately, I think that no one will remember this issue in a month’s time,” he said. “This is why I feel it’s important to get all the good press about Tree New Mexico out now while people are still interested. I don’t think that this issue will affect other business in Nob Hill.”
But Edwards said he appreciates what the boutique has done to address the issue.
“I think Savvy Boutique has done what they should, replacing the tree that they cut down,” he said. “I know the struggles of starting a new business. And I have had to write a few apology letters after six years of being in business.”
