Global Gifts to Close Mass Ave Location

The fair trade nonprofit will shut its store on Mass Ave on October 29 as it faces long-term financial pressure.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Philanthropy

An exterior view of a brick storefront with artisanal textiles and wooden carvings visible in the display window. — Global Gifts will close its Mass Ave storefront on October 29 after 38 years, citing long-term financial pressure following the COVID-19 pandemic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you prioritize fair-trade labels when shopping even if online alternatives are more convenient?

Global Gifts is set to close its Mass Ave storefront on October 29 after 38 years in business. The nonprofit, which sources goods from over 40 countries, cites lingering pandemic-related financial impacts for the closure.

Why it matters

The organization struggled to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and faced significant market competition from Amazon. These economic hurdles contributed to a sharp decline in available volunteers, complicating the nonprofit's ability to maintain operations.

The nonprofit operated for 38 years and relied on a volunteer-based model to reduce expenses. Staffing levels dropped from an average of 50 volunteers per location to just five.

The players

Global Gifts

This is a long-standing nonprofit organization that sells fair trade goods sourced from artisans in more than 40 different countries.

Jo Ellen Buffie

She has served as a dedicated volunteer with the nonprofit for 16 years.

The details

Founded in 1988, the organization previously shuttered its Bloomington and Columbus locations in 2023. While the Mass Ave store at 873 Mass Ave closes this month, the Nora location at 8519 E. Westfield Blvd. will remain open until December.

Global Gifts was founded in 1988.
The Bloomington and Columbus store locations closed in 2023.
The Mass Ave location closes on October 29, 2026.
The Nora location will close in December 2026.

Market Landscape

The closure reflects a broader trend of traditional fair trade retailers struggling to compete in an era dominated by large-scale digital commerce platforms. This move follows the pattern seen in the closure of other retail fair trade organizations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shoppers in Indianapolis will lose access to the Mass Ave location for sourcing fair trade products starting October 29. Supporters looking to patronize the business can still visit the remaining Nora storefront until its scheduled closure in December.

The takeaway

Nonprofit retail entities often rely heavily on volunteer labor to offset high operating costs. When volunteer participation drops significantly, these organizations face immediate risks to their physical storefronts regardless of their mission.