Fenway Health Closes Boomerangs Thrift Stores, Affecting HIV Prevention and Wellness Efforts in Massachusetts

In June, Fenway Health will close its Boomerangs thrift stores in Jamaica Plain, the South End, and Cambridge’s Central Square. The chain has been supporting HIV prevention and wellness since the mid-1990s. Financial losses have led to the closure, 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, director of communications at Fenway Health, said that Boomerangs has made a significant impact on supporting HIV care and services in Massachusetts. However, with challenges facing brick and mortar retail stores, Fenway Health must 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.

Upon hearing the news of closure, customers took to social media to express their feelings of sadness and frustration. Some placed blame on Fenway Health for the closure while others mourned the loss of a community staple originally opened by AIDS Action which later merged with Fenway Health in 2013.

Viveiros acknowledged the impact that closing Boomerangs will have on the community and expressed his own sadness at the news. 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.