Is It True That A Selena Boutique Was Once Open in El Paso?

Was there a Selena Boutique in El Paso? The answer is yes and no.

During a recent interview for my online series, Haunted El Paso, I spoke to staff at EPIC Bar & Grill, who tell me that the club is not only haunted, but the building is the site of the former Selena shop.

Thinking back to the 90s, I couldn't remember seeing the store in downtown El Paso off N. Stanton, so I decided to do some research to clarify whether or not a Selena store existed back in the day.

Before her death, the Queen of Tejano Music began to expand her brand beyond the stage. Selena was delving into fashion and beauty, becoming an entrepreneur in her own right along the lines of today's superstars such as Rihanna, who created the global brands Fenty / Savage.

Selena Etc. Boutiques opened in the early-90s, first in Corpus Christi and then in San Antonio, with another scheduled to open in Monterrey, MX, in 1995.

The stores carried designs by the singer herself featuring her trademark bustier's, hats, jewelry, a manicurist, a massage room, and even a hair salon.  

Sadly in March of 1995, Selena was murdered and would not see her entrepreneurial dreams come to fruition.

After her death, the Selena Boutique in San Antonio closed in 1999, and sixteen years after the Corpus Christi shop opened, Selena's widower Chris Perez closed it in 2009.

Researching the store in El Paso, it turns out that there was, in fact, a Selena shop where EPIC Bar & Grill now stands.

Two years after her death in 1997, public records in the city directory indicate that a store called Selena Fashions did exist that sold ladies' wear; however, it was not an authentic boutique sanctioned by her estate.

So there you have it - yes, once upon a time, there was a Selena shop in downtown El Paso, but unfortunately, it wasn't the real McCoy.