ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A new coffee shop in the Heights is having a tough year. It’s seen not one, but two break-ins, with intruders smashing windows and costing them thousands of dollars in repairs. Meraki Coffee and Market has only been open since November 2020, tackling COVID-19 and now vandalism.
“Obviously we wanted to put money into the business and now we’re having to take a step back,” said barista, Janie Crowther. Crowther says this is the second time this year they’ve had to fix their windows, costing a few thousand dollars each time to repair.
The vandals just smashed the windows as nothing inside the coffee shop was stolen either time. Three smaller windows were cracked but one large window by the entrance was completely shattered and now has to be boarded up.
In hopes of preventing more vandalism, they’ve hired security and are looking ahead to brighter days. “We’re hoping it doesn’t happen again so we can just get it fixed and move on, like I said we’re excited it’s summertime to get these doors open and just get back to normal,” said Crowther.
The owner, Nicole Kapnison, says this is something every business owner in Albuquerque has to deal with. She believes small businesses have suffered enough over the past year that something like this sets them back even further.
They did call the police, but so far no one has been caught for either break-in. If it happens again they now have cameras up to hopefully catch the person responsible. Another business, VIP Nails and Spa that is also on that corner also reports having their windows smashed. Authorities are looking into that incident as well.
