Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Selena Etc. Boutique Closes in Corpus Christi


The one interview I had with Selena, nine months before her death, all she wanted to talk about was her new boutiques in San Antonio and Corpus Christi and her fashion line. Music was almost beside the point. The boutiques were one of the few things that was not a family enterprise, but rather hers and hers alone. She was clearly proud of being an independent businesswoman. The San Antonio boutique shut down shortly after she was killed. The Corpus boutique however has remained open, largely as a touchstone for Selena fans. Until now. It's another reminder of what once was, and what could have been. There has been no one like Selena, before or since, which makes her passing nearly 15 years ago all the sadder.


from the Caller.com website, home of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times:

Boutique and salon named after slain Tejano singer opened in 1993
By Fanny S. Chirinos (Contact)
Originally published 01:51 p.m., June 29, 2009
Updated 05:20 p.m., June 29, 2009

CORPUS CHRISTI — Selena Etc. Boutique and Salon, named after the late Tejano singer Selena, has shut its doors.
The store’s phone number has been disconnected, there no longer is merchandise inside and there’s a for sale sign in the window of the building in the 4900 block of Everhart Road.
Calls and e-mails in the past week to Selena’s family were not returned.
George Clower, vice president of The Clower Co., said the for sale sign went up about a week ago, just after the merchandise was removed. The building is owned by Chris Perez, Selena’s widower, and appraised at $91,454, according to the Nueces County Appraisal District.
Clower said the asking price is $165,000 and he has received several inquiries.
“Some of it could be due to the history of the place, but it’s in a good central location and has plenty of traffic,” Clower said.
Attempts on Monday to reach Perez were unsuccessful.
Selena was killed in March 1995 and at the time of her death was known as the Queen of Tejano Music. She won a Grammy in 1993 and later that year opened two Selena Etc. boutiques, one in Corpus Christi and the second in San Antonio.
The San Antonio boutique closed after Selena’s death.
The stores featured a full-service salon as well as Selena memorabilia and fashions, some of them designed by the artist. They also sold jewelry, hats and other accessories.
Fans still may enjoy her designs and mementos at the Selena Museum inside Q Productions at 5410 Leopard St.


And from the mysa.com website, home of the San Antonio Express-News:
by Michael Quintanilla, Express-News

The boutique and salon named after Selena, the slain Tejana singer who was killed 14 years ago, has closed its doors, the victim of a slow economy, according to her father, Abe Quintanilla.

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times online edition reported that a "for sale" sign for the Selena Etc. Boutique and Salon, owned by Selena's widower, Chris Perez, went up about a week ago. Merchandise has been removed, the shop's phone number is no longer in service and the asking price for the property appraised at $91,454 is $165,000, George Clower, vice president of The Clower Co., a real estate service company told the paper.

The popular singer, who was born in Lake Jackson, a Houston suburb, was killed in March 1995, a month shy of her 24th birthday. At the time of her death she was known as the Queen of Tejano Music, having won a Grammy in 1993 for Best Mexican-American album, "Selena Live!"

Later that year she opened two Selena Etc. boutiques, one in Corpus Christi where the family had moved in 1981, and the second in San Antonio. The San Antonio boutique closed after Selena's death.

Her boutiques featured a full-service salon as well as Selena memorabilia and fashions, some designed by the singer who was known for creating many of her own stage looks, including her famous purple — her favorite color — sequined jumpsuit.

Selena's father, Abe Quintanilla, told KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi that he decided to close the boutique because coupled with a weak economy the boutique was outside of the main focus of "Q Productions" which has always been on the music. He said the family kept the boutique open out of respect for Selena as the shop was her special project.

Quintanilla reported Selena's fans can find some the boutique's merchandise at the gift shop inside Selena's Museum at Q Productions in Corpus Christi.

The songstress was part of a band called Los Dinos that included her brother AB on bass and her sister Suzette on drums. They played in the family's restaurant and later at weddings and parties. The band's big break came in 1987 when, at 15, Selena won the Tejano Music Award for Female Entertainer of the Year. That led to a contract with Capitol Records and six successful albums.

In the early 1990s Selena branched out musically as well as clothing designer with her own line and married Perez, a guitarist.

Selena was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar, her friend and president of her fan club on March 31, 1995, the day she was due in a studio to work on her first English album. Saldivar was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

21 comments:

Jasmine said...

It is greatly disappointing that Selena's boutique has closed. She has been one of the major influences on the way I view music. She wasn't some mediocre hot-to-trot pop singer.
She had it all.

May she rest in peace.

Johnny Hughes, author of Texas Poker Wisdom, a novel said...

Again, I ask. Who prays for Yolanda?

Anonymous said...

I wish the store never shut down, I always wanted to visit :( now, I think they should of never closed down! It should of stayed open! I think the bitch! Chris's x slut!! she ruined everything cause she was second best! Jelouse b'tch! Just like Yolonda! But just know Selena still lives!! Yolonda never killed her she's alive in my eyes!! Selena fan from rhode island coming out of portugal!yup she has fans all over!!! Selena will always be Chris's number one""
Selena and Chris perez 4-ever!!

Anonymous said...

that crappy people loved her and that was the only way they could connect to her and ya'll have took that way people loved to dress like her and i know its time to move on but u should not have taken that away from people!!!:(

Jean S from Melbourne Aus. said...

WOW! Her story, music, her charisma and unforgettable smile had reached many around the world inlcuding Australia, NZ and the Cook Islands. She is absolutely beautiful. A true beauty which is rare and you do not find that in famous artists ever. To Selena stardom made her no different to anyone else because she wasn't selfish or self centred and trusted too easily and that trust was broken for eternity. Watching clips of her and fans approaching to greet or kiss her whilst she performed just shows how much her fans meant to her and she never asked they be removed. She will always be known as the Tejano Queen and no one can replace her. To find out none of her boutiques are open is sad! Hope her museum will always remain open so her history and legacy is shared with many generations to come. RIP Selena

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Selena.

Anonymous said...

This is so very sad..the boutique was Selena's dream come true, and when it closed, it was like losing her all over again. I hope that some, if not all of the boutique's merchandise will be available for purchase at the Selena Museum, also in Corpus Christi.

Anonymous said...

Selena will forever live in our Hearts !

Unknown said...

Rip Selena 💓😭😭😭😇😘😍🙏👏

Unknown said...

reading this for my project and wow Selena did big things and is continuing to do so.

la reina del a,mor said...

Omg I was just looking for Selena's boutique and it's closed. I really wanted to buy something

Anna said...

Yolanda was nothing more than an evil witch! I hate her SO much because she hurt Selena's business, her family, and worst of all, she killed Selena! ��

PJ said...

I know it hurts Anna, but we cant let hate control us. Selena is alive in our hearts and memories. A beautiful person inside and out.

Ceasar said...

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Ceasar said...

https://www.google.com/search?q=angelica+vision+of++Selina+hell+fire&safe=active&client=opera&hs=Nf4&sxsrf=ALeKk00-Km8guo8d0njjF1kf1mABNoa3lg:1591162076297&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=td1cla3QUkoX0M%253A%252CPk-v35O3UKNThM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRY4IGelOKqlHr8xuqFy6JQEhFaoA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj6otnS9OTpAhXwlIsKHQ4EAqoQ9QEwCHoECAwQCQ#imgrc=AFuTszKi74lPwM&imgdii=LF4m6Eh0n2vcqM

COUPON4Vitamins said...

Sad, but she will never be gone from our hearts.

Margo said...

Selena was a star like no other! She remained true to herself and that was her beauty. It is sad her boutiques have closed but Selena is alive forever because of the music she left for us to enjoy! I believe at least one of her outfits is in The Smithsonian also—-they don’t do that for very many people; what a lovely tribute and honor! I only wish she was here to enjoy it.

T said...

Selena was a true star. I’m so glad that the museum still exists, the Netflix series is thriving and the Mac Cosmetics Collab with her sister was approved. Selena’s legacy will continue to live on.

Unknown said...

I'm, so sad 😞 I really love selena,her music how the way she was, she was very friendly and I think she was a very nice person. My dreams was to see her in one of her concerts, but never meet her in one on her concerts, that happens with Juan Gabriel, and Antonio Aguilar. That really hurts in the bottom of my heart that I never meet them. But I have a 10 years old girl that she loves Selenas music, she wants everything of Selenas, I promise her that I will taker to her museum and see all the city of corpus Christi it will be nice to meet her family too. I'm from Denver Co. I will go visit Corpus Christi and enjoy the city with my little girl's ♥❤💙💕

Anonymous said...

Why is Mr Q speaking? That boutique is Chris Perez, not his. Mr Q doesn't give a damn about Selena's fans, only to get money from them. I would have loved to see the boutique as well. Mr Pataki i read your book and loved your description of the Tejano music scene, but where was Selena in the pages -- she got lost! I went into Selena overdrive this summer and loved learning about Tejano music and listening to it and i thought Selena's interaction with her fans was fantastic! Tejano music was a whole new world for me and I find it now influencing the music I make. Makes me wish i had moved to Corpus Christi in 1991 and not Arizona.

Anonymous said...

You, apparently. And only you.