A Tribute to Sophia Peron
Sophia Polakowski Peron
Deceased March 28, 2022
Tribute by Ann L. Carson
Sophia was one of Albuquerque’s unforgettable characters.
She grew up in Chicago, and it is unknown why she decided to live in New Mexico. Sophia may have taken art classes at UNM as she had the ability to create.
She turned up in the South Broadway neighborhood in the early 1990s where she purchased a house in the 800 block of High St. SE and decided to bring it back to life. She pulled it apart and put it back together again with clever artistic touches.
It was a joyful experience. She could create beauty where once there was turmoil.
Then she had the opportunity to purchase a small adobe house in the 900 block of High St. SE. where the street deadens into the Sandhills. That building too was delightful when it was completed.
In those early years, Sophia also worked as a nanny for Frank and Patti Sanchez who lived at 123 Walter SE. She had fun and so did the children.
By 1992 she was ready to move on to Huning Highlands. She found a forlorn “shotgun” house at 217 Arno Ave, SE. Shotgun houses are small worker’s cottages that have 3 rooms in a row, living room, bedroom, kitchen and originally did not have indoor plumbing. This house had two extensions on the West and North. Sophia decided to move the front door back to the North and recreate the original bay window on the East. The ceiling in the living room was open to the rafters. When she located an irregular slab of granite she used it for a kitchen counter. This was 20 years before the rest of the world discovered granite counters.
The new bay windows were enhanced by a decorative wooden sunburst placed below them. The North side had a 6 ft wooden fence with a sunburn arrangement on the gate. Now Sophia was in a Historic District. That meant that the LUCC Landmarks committee had to pass on exterior changes to all buildings. The committee wasn’t happy with the sunbursts and the fact that she had not run the design by the committee before construction. Eventually she was allowed to keep the sunbursts. This was her first run-in with city officials.
Next Sophia discovered a larger house at 111 Walter St. SE. She liked what she saw and purchased it without entering the house. This was 1993. The house had multiple additions at the rear, four apartments turned into 6 by 1960. Sophia was in heaven. She could create. A Bed and Breakfast and call it The Jazz Inn because Jazz was her passion.
It would be a center for Jazz musicians.
She hired Nick Peron, a guy who lived across the street, to be her handyman. They clicked and married. Together they struggled to upgrade the building and were almost at the point of opening the B&B with 5 rooms, Jazz decor and their record player for their prized 5,000 vinyl records. It was 1995.
Disaster Struck! Sophia and Nick were in their VW van when an intoxicated driver smashed into their van. They were both injured. Nick slowly recovered. Sophia lost a leg. Their friends came together to rescue them. Sophia, propped up on pillows, held court. Visitors had 10 minutes before the next batch arrived.
Once Sophia learned to walk on her new leg the two of them pressed on and opened the B&B in 1996. They were having a great time planning musical events with Jazz artists. It was time to PARTY.
Eventually the city decided that their parties were too wild and they didn’t have permits for such functions. They were still able to rent rooms.
By 2003 they put the house up for sale and moved to T or C, Truth or Consequences, where they found a complex with hot springs and small cabins.
They spent their last years in a smaller house in T or C.
Sophia was a controversial character who needs to be remembered as a dedicated renovator of 6 buildings in New Mexico.
