A 42-year-old children’s boutique in Modesto’s McHenry Village shopping center will close this year following the announcement of its owner’s retirement.
Ragamuffin, at 1700 McHenry Ave., Suite 24, will have a “farewell sale” beginning Friday. It will be closed Thursday to prepare.
Kathie McBroom, Ragamuffin owner for more than 13 years, said it was an “extremely difficult decision” to retire and close the store. But with increasing online shopping options, keeping the doors open isn’t feasible.
“People aren’t shopping locally as much anymore,” McBroom said. “One of my workers that’s been here for 10 years wanted to take over, but the numbers just didn’t make sense. So, just can’t continue on.”
McBroom was an employee at Ragamuffin for a decade beginning in 1989. That was five years after the brand — launched as a catalog business — became a brick-and-mortar shop.
She took over the lease around 2011 when founders-owners Maggie Zeff and Susan Conway retired.
“It’s definitely bittersweet because I have a lot of years invested in here, even prior to owning it,” McBroom said. “It’s sad that an era has to end.”