NORTHAMPTON — Another downtown retail clothing store is going the way of the market: online.

Cindy Hackworth, owner of Ci Ci Boutique at 112 Main St., said it no longer makes sense to sell her wares in a permanent brick and mortar space. She’ll close her doors at the end of June after 12 years in business downtown, and will instead sell clothing online and in the occasional pop-up shop.

“Everybody’s shopping online, so I’m going to sell online,” Hackworth said Monday of the decision to overhaul her formal wear business. “Not having the actual constant brick and mortar is going to allow more freedom.”

She said high rent played a role but wasn’t the only reason for closing.

“The rent is not really the big reason, but — the rent in Northampton, in comparison with other communities, is high,” she said.

Downtown Northampton also lost a consignment shop last month for similar reasoning.

The national company, 2nd Time Around, said it was closing its Pleasant Street location — as well as 18 others across the country — due to “increased competition with online retailers” and “skyrocketing rents.”

Hackworth is hosting a closing sale to bring inventory down. Items are 30 to 50 percent off. Customers interested in keeping tabs on the boutique’s pop-up venues and online details should follow the shop on Facebook.

Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.

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