Neighbors upset over 'tree tragedy'

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Roadside memorials are a common sight along New Mexico roadways but a new memorial that popped up at the intersection of Central and Wellesley NE is a bit uncommon.

The rose plant and candle was placed there in the heart of Nob Hill by someone mourning the loss of a tree.

"They're not using it for firewood and it wasn't a dead tree so its just kind of bad and annoying for the whole neighborhood to have someone do that," said Lance Stevens who works at Limonata in Nob Hill.

That someone is the owner of Savvy Boutique a new store that has not opened yet.

On Sunday morning a Nob Hill neighbor snapped some photos of two men cutting down the nearly 10-year-old tree in front of the store.

The tree belonged to the city.       

"It's probably bad for business to if that's the first thing they're known about is to cut down the tree in their neighborhood," said Stevens.

News of the tree's demise spread quickly first on Duke City Fix then on Facebook and the comments are mostly negative calling out the business for the hatchet job.

On Tuesday a new Facebook page popped up dedicated to the 'NobHill tree' where people are posting old photos and reminiscing.

"When they cut it down I'm sure they didn't expect that backlash," Stevens said.

According to Savvy's own Facebook page they were not..

In a post Tuesday they apologized for the gaffe promising to plant a new tree.

Some shoppers said they are not going to hold the tree trip up against the boutique.

"She feels badly about it so I wouldn't you know chastise her store for it," said Daniela Korec.

The city said they are going to ask the business to remove the stump and plant another tree that meets the requirements for that area.

KRQE News 13 we tried to reach the business owner and manager but they never got back to us.