Nonprofit to Reopen Boomerangs, Beloved Central Square Thrift Store

Local nonprofit More Than Words is giving a new meaning to the phrase “secondhand store.”

The organization is reopening thrift store Boomerangs, a Central Square staple, in December following the store’s closure this summer.

Before they closed, Boston’s three Boomerangs stores were operated — at a steep loss — by Fenway Health, a nonprofit that supported HIV and AIDS causes.

More Than Words has operated bookstores since its founding, and ran a used clothing line during the Covid-19 pandemic. But Naomi Parker, More Than Words’ chief advancement officer, said Boomerangs is the nonprofit’s “biggest venture into thrift and clothing.”

“It is definitely a big process,” Parker said. “We have been sourcing thousands of clothing items that we’re stocking up to be ready to put on the shelves when we open.”

The nonprofit — which focuses on supporting and employing youth experiencing homelessness or navigating the foster or criminal justice systems — said in its announcement last week that it hopes to continue Boomerangs’ legacy of social impact in the Greater Boston area.

Parker said that the store’s employees will be young people “in need of some of that additional support during their transition years.”

“We have heard from so many people who loved shopping in it, who loved coming to it, who really felt at home in it,” Parker said.

“We think that the mission — while different from Fenway Health — will resonate with a lot of people who want to be a part of both finding really awesome deals on great clothing and books and accessories and also supporting our nonprofit,” she added.

The organization said it will support Fenway Health and its cause during the ownership transition in a press release last week.

“More Than Words has committed to donating 1% of its sales from Boomerangs for the first 3 months to support HIV care and services at Fenway Health as a gesture to the longtime mission of the store,” the organization wrote.

Parker said that More Than Words will do its best to maintain the same customer experience as before.

“There will always be small differences when it’s a different place operating the store, but we are planning for a very similar price point, very similar mix of items, and very similar feel,” Parker said.

She added that hiring and training system-involved youth is already a core part of the nonprofits’ mission.

“The true purpose is to help young people successfully make that transition into adulthood,” she said.

“We are doing a lot of hands-on job training,” Parker added. “So we have young people working in our online book-selling business, in our retail stores, in our event space, in our sourcing warehouse.”

She said More Than Words is excited to revitalize Boomerangs while advancing its own mission.

“It’s such a beautiful legacy and a beautiful set of stores with a lot of community and community value,” Parker said. “And so the chance to expand our businesses and create jobs for our youth, while also keeping this institution alive, is really, really great.”