In June, Fenway Health will be closing its Boomerangs thrift stores in Jamaica Plain, the South End and Cambridge’s Central Square. The decision was made due to financial losses with the stores now losing over $500,000 a year compared to bringing in a few hundred thousand dollars annually in the past.
Chris Viveiros, the director of communications at Fenway Health, stated that Boomerangs has made a significant impact on supporting HIV care and services in Massachusetts. However, with the challenges facing brick and mortar retail stores, the organization needs to prioritize its health care services over retail operations. Efforts will be made to support the approximately 50 employees currently working at the stores as they transition from their jobs.
Customers took to social media to express their sadness and frustration upon hearing the news. Some placed blame on Fenway Health for the closure while others argued that it could have been avoided. Originally opened by AIDS Action which later merged with Fenway Health in 2013, these stores have been an important part of the community for many years.
Viveiros acknowledged the impact that closing Boomerangs will have on the community and expressed his own sadness at having to make such a decision. Despite this closure, Fenway Health remains committed to providing quality care and services to its patients and clients by utilizing resources to support its core mission rather than retail operations.