News Summary
As the holiday shopping season approaches, Massachusetts is seeing a wave of retail closures. Notable chains like Rite Aid and Walgreens are closing their locations, while e-commerce competition intensifies. Small businesses struggle with rising costs, impacting consumer habits. Surveys reveal that many shoppers are starting their holiday shopping early, with concerns about rising prices. This trend in retail closures reflects a national issue affecting the shopping landscape, as consumers adapt to economic challenges.
Massachusetts is bracing for significant retail store closures ahead of the holiday shopping season, as many brick-and-mortar stores have shuttered over the past year. This trend is raising concerns for consumers who are preparing for gift shopping in a challenging economic environment.
Rite Aid, a popular pharmacy chain, has closed all of its locations in Massachusetts, while most Joann fabric and crafts retail locations in the state have also shut down. Additionally, Walgreens has announced plans to sell or close all locations within Massachusetts, leading to a gradual process of closures. The closures in Massachusetts reflect a broader trend affecting retailers nationwide, with approximately 2,700 stores either closed or planning to close by 2025, as reported by Business Insider.
E-commerce competition has been identified as a major factor driving these store closures. Analysts from UBS have projected that an additional 45,000 stores may close across the country by 2029, as the retail landscape transitions to focus more on fulfillment and distribution centers. Despite these closures, major retailers like Walmart, Costco, Target, and Home Depot are expanding their operations.
Amidst the closures, small businesses are facing difficulties in absorbing rising costs that larger corporations can manage more easily. Tariffs are also having a detrimental effect on many retailers, contributing to ongoing financial challenges and potentially influencing consumer spending behaviors. This challenging environment has led many consumers to begin their holiday shopping earlier than usual. Surveys indicate that 49% of respondents planned to start their gift shopping before Halloween, driven by concerns over rising prices and tariffs.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, many consumers have expressed worries regarding potential price increases. According to survey data, 41% of individuals are apprehensive about higher costs this holiday season. Nevertheless, approximately 70% expect to spend the same as last year (43%) or even more (27%).
The wave of closures includes noteworthy establishments. Starbucks has closed five locations across Massachusetts, a decision associated with a company-wide focus on resource allocation for a turnaround strategy. Furthermore, the iconic East Taunton restaurant, Star Drive-In, will close after over 60 years in business. Other local businesses such as The Cheese Shop of Salem, which recently closed on its tenth anniversary, cited rising costs and a desire to maintain their values as reasons for shutting down.
In addition to these closures, UPS has closed its facility in South Boston, leading to a decrease in the volume of Amazon shipments handled at that location. Claire’s, a well-known jewelry retailer, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and plans to close 700 stores, including seven in Massachusetts. Smithland Pet & Garden Center is also closing all its locations, including six in Massachusetts, after more than four decades in operation.
Further notable closures include TJ Maxx, which is shutting down its three-story location on Newbury Street in Boston, impacting 117 employees. JCPenney has closed eight locations in the state as part of ongoing financial struggles. Big Lots, having filed for bankruptcy in late 2024, has closed several locations as well. Specific Starbucks locations in Boston, including those in Harvard Square and near the Golden Teapot, are also on the closure list, with employees receiving notice just one day prior to shutdowns.
As Massachusetts navigates the complexities of the retail landscape, the combination of rising costs, competition from online shopping, and financial pressures has led to a wave of store closures that could significantly reshape the shopping experience for residents this holiday season.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Patch: Beloved Retailers Closed in MA
- CBS News: Starbucks Store Closures in Massachusetts
- MassLive: Retail Chains Closing Nationwide
- Herald News: At Home Store Closures in Massachusetts
- Telegram: At Home Retail Bankruptcy Affecting Locations
- Wikipedia: Retail
- Google Search: Retail Store Closures 2025
- Google Scholar: Retail Closures
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Retail
- Google News: Retail Closures in Massachusetts
Author: STAFF HERE BOSTON WRITER
The BOSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBoston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Boston, Suffolk County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Boston Marathon, Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boston Harborfest. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, plus leading businesses in finance, biotech, and insurance that power the local economy such as Fidelity Investments, Biogen, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Massachusetts's dynamic landscape.
