Copyright MassLive
The end is near for Hubba Hubba, the Boston area’s longtime adult entertainment store that has helped customers “go forth and be fabulous” for nearly 50 years. Hubba Hubba will permanently close on Sunday, Nov. 24 after 47 years of service, the store wrote in an Instagram post on Oct. 28. Owner M.J. Pullins cited rising costs, “miserly landlords” and an economic environment that doesn’t benefit small businesses as the reason’s for Hubba Hubba’s closure. “I know I am letting you all down and I am so sorry,” Pullins wrote in the Instagram post. “I did the best I could.” Customers were encouraged to stock up now as the store will be liquidating its current inventory. Items will be sold starting at 10% off. “Share your memories and stories. Share the love. Take care of one another. Support our staff. Most of all, for over the past 47 years, thank you for: four locations, everyone who has been involved, worked, shopped, modeled, vended, supported, and been part of this amazing part of Boston/Cambridge history,” the post read. “Thank you for helping to keep us going for this long. In the immortal words of Suzi Phelps, ‘Go forth and be fabulous.’” Phelps founded Hubba Hubba in 1978, according to the store’s website. The store was originally located at 932 Mass Ave., but moved to 960 Mass Ave in 1983. It moved again to 534 Mass Ave. in 1998 before landing at its current location at 2 Ellery St. in 2015. Hubba Hubba is loosely based on Vivienne Westwood’s “Sex” store in London and also incorporates Phelps’ flea market finds as well as local punk fashion. The store continued to evolve in the ‘80s by catering to the LGBTQ+ community — specifically the gay, gothic and BDSM communities, Hubba Hubba’s website states. Despite Phelp’s passing in 2017, the store has continued to grow and serve the next generation while maintaining the original owner’s “vision of everybody feeling beautiful.” In 2023, Hubba Hubba was recognized as a “Legacy Business” by the City of Cambridge. Back in September, Pullins created a GoFundMe to raise funds to keep the store open. Despite the campaign collecting more than $10,000 in donations, Pullins said it wasn’t enough to keep Hubba Hubba afloat. “With your help, we have made a tremendous effort and impact that we never thought was possible,” she wrote in the Instagram post. “However, after much conversation with the accountants and lawyers, the overwhelming consensus is that the hill is just too great.” The post’s caption added, "It’s time to say goodbye. So many thanks, so much love, but goodbye. Our GoFundMe will switch to support our staff as they transition in this economy. Please treat them with kindness and understanding in this difficult time. May there be peace and love for all."
