"Adult entertainment store Hubba Hubba is closing its doors after serving the alternative and LGBTQ+ community in the area for four decades. In an Instagram post last week, owner M.J. Pullins wrote that the store is ceasing operations on Nov. 24, citing rising costs, "miserly landlords," and an economic climate that is not conducive to small businesses. Pullins wrote that the challenges "made this a fight not worth fighting anymore.""
"According to the store's website, Susan Phelps founded it in 1978, mixing local punk fashion with flea market finds and sexual health products. The store evolved as nightclubs and the alternative community in Boston changed, expanding to include the LGBTQ+ community. Phelps died in 2017, and in 2019, Pullins used her savings from a recent divorce to purchase the store and keep the legacy going."
"Pullins says the business has operated at a loss for the past few years. The fundraiser was a last-ditch effort to keep the store afloat. But as of Tuesday, it had only raised a little over $10,000, which isn't enough to cover rent. To keep going, Pullins said she would also need thousands of dollars to repair the damaged walls and floors in the store's below-grade space, which were damaged by water."
Hubba Hubba will close on Nov. 24 after four decades serving punk, alternative, and LGBTQ+ communities. The store faced rising costs, difficult landlords, and an economic climate unfavorable to small businesses. M.J. Pullins purchased the store in 2019 using savings from a recent divorce and operated it at a loss while exhausting retirement funds and often foregoing paychecks. A GoFundMe raised just over $10,000, insufficient for rent and required repairs. Water damage created mold and health concerns for staff, and thousands of dollars in repairs are needed for the below-grade space.
Read at Boston.com
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