ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – New Mexico Dancewear in northeast Albuquerque has been the place to go for last-minute leotard runs hours before a recital, first point shoe fittings for young ballerinas, and more. But now, after nearly four decades, its doors are permanently closed. “It’s a generational business that has been just kind of like a staple here in Albuquerque,” said Lindsay Warner, Studio Director at Magnify Dance Center.
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What was once filled with vibrant dance clothes and supplies is now left with empty racks and bare mannequins. “Unfortunately, New Mexico Dancewear, as of April 12, has decided to permanently close its doors,” said Fiona-Maria Hernandez, Owner of New Mexico Dancewear.
With memories dating back to its opening in 1986, the third owner of the store, Fiona-Maria Hernandez, said it was the most difficult decision she’s ever made.”Due to kind of a combination of some health issues that I’ve had, but really more than anything to do with financial hardships in the past five years, that we’ve just really not been able to overcome,” said Hernandez.
Although the store survived the COVID-19 pandemic through grants assisting them through hard times, Hernandez said a months-long construction project limited access to their business and led to massive losses. “We noted in the eight-to-10-month period, we lost about $80,000 worth of sales,” said Hernandez.
And while they appreciate the improvements made to the Menaul Blvd. and Wyoming Blvd. intersection, it was a financial hit that was hard for the business to recover from. “Once you lose a customer, and in this situation to the internet, because of convenience, it’s very hard to get them back,” said Hernandez.
The store did offer a vital service not found on the web. “What we really were known for was our pointe shoe selection, our pointe shoe fittings. And so that is something that you can’t get online,” said Hernandez.
“That’s been the only place here in the city where we can send our dancers to get fitted for their shoes. And yeah, it’s hard to imagine what we’ll do without that,” said Warner.
A pointe shoe fitting not only kept dancers safe, but it was also an important step in their careers. “We had several older pointe shoes that were unused, and every time a dancer would get her first pair of pointe shoes, she would sign the shoe,” said Hernandez.
A tradition connecting generations of dancers and celebrating their hard work. “And that’s, again, just something you can’t replace,” said Hernandez.
Now, with its doors closed, Hernandez said that besides a location in Las Cruces and a boutique in Hobbs, there are no other options for dancers in the state to find that service. “I wish there had been more of a way to keep it open because I know that the community and myself are really going to feel this hole when we’re gone,” said Hernandez.
The owner regrets to inform the community that there will not be a closing sale and hopes to remind residents of the importance of investing in small businesses. “Every teacher and every student and every parent that runs in last minute to get shoes on the way to recital and every grandparent that comes in and says, I don’t know what my kid wants, every studio owner that has put their trust and their faith in me when they’ve been training these students for decades, and then they bring them to me and trust me to help continue their training with their shoes has just really built New Mexico Dancer into what it is, and I’ve been very, very grateful for that,” said Hernandez.
