Allbirds Closes Harvard Square Store in Shift Toward E-Commerce

Allbirds, a footwear and apparel company, closed its store in Harvard Square last week, part of a company-wide move to shut down most of its brick-and-mortar locations across the country in an effort to prioritize e-commerce.

Mariann Bostic, who served as store manager of the Harvard Square Allbirds, said the closure stemmed from broader company strategy and was not the result of poor performance at the Harvard Square storefront.

“I think that Allbirds made the call that they needed to for the company as a whole,” she said.

Allbirds — which started as an online-only business when it first opened in 2015 — announced last Wednesday that it would close all full-price stores by the end of February. Only two outlet stores in the U.S will remain open.

Denise Jillson, the executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association, wrote that she believed Allbirds “over-extended” its business, leading the company to pull back as consumer shopping habits continue to shift toward online retail — a trend that has accelerated in recent years.

Bostic attributed the closure of the Harvard Square location, which opened in 2021, to industry-wide challenges in brick-and-mortar retail.

“I think that a lot of retailers are experiencing this kind of downturn, especially coming out of Q4,” Bostic said. “Although it was surprising, it is part of the course.”

“If you look at brands like Under Armour, just different retailers where the brick-and-mortar space wasn’t as thriving as they wanted it to be, it’s not uncommon for them to have outlet stores but not necessarily brick-and-mortar premium product stores,” she added.

But Bostic said the closure does not necessarily reflect broader economic conditions in Harvard Square.

“I think that it is definitely on the up," she said. "I honestly think that the area is growing still.”

Bostic said the shift back toward e-commerce may benefit Allbirds, which found its success as an online-only, direct-to-consumer retailer.

“That’s where we started. That was our sweet spot for a long time,” she said. “It wouldn’t be surprising to me if that’s where we found the most success and that’s where they want to continue.”

Bostic said losing the store was still bittersweet for her after years spent developing the Harvard Square location.

“I’ve spent four years at the store, and it’s been a real pleasure getting to know the students, the area. I’m just really going to miss the team that I’ve helped develop,” Bostic said. “I’m going to miss all of them, but the journey doesn’t end here.”

—Staff writer Adam Han can be reached at [email protected].