By Nadia Ramdass
It’s the end of an era for the North Fort Myers store “Furniture in the Buff.”


After four burglaries and a series of vandalism acts all within an 18-month period, Valerie Rufo and her family are packing up and shutting down the family business for good. “Insurance was an issue after the second burglary so the last two burglaries I had to absorb one-percent my own it nearly bankrupt me,” said Valerie Rufo owner of the furniture store.

Valerie and her husband have been the owners of the unfinished furniture shop for five out of it’s fifteen years. She claims the growing crime rate has pushed her to leave her business. “We put everything into the business. I mean every resource we had and we lost it because of the inconsideration and disrespect of criminals.”

Deb Verborn, is the owner of Hair Shapers salon for nearly seven years and a neighbor of the furniture store in the Hancock Square Shopping Center. She doesn’t doubt Valerie’s accusations, but she said it may be overstated, which may lead to a decline of customers shopping in the area. “Our customers come in and they say Deb you’ve had so many problems here. We’re getting scared to come in and there should be no reason for that,” said Verborn.

“I did everything that was asked from me by the police, by the insurance company, by the security company and it didn’t help,” said Rufo.

Valerie is moving her inventory to her new furniture store Arbor House Furniture Galley just off McGregor Blvd in South Fort Myers. She’s looking forward to a fresh start and a new beginning. “What happens happens and if it’s meant to be it will succeed if not I tried,” said Rufo.