Wayfair's Brunswick, Maine Location

Wayfair's customer service location in Brunswick, Maine, will close when the company's lease expires at Brunswick Landing in May 2023. The Boston-based furniture and home goods retailer expanded to Maine in 2016, opening a sales and customer service operation in Brunswick. The office was once home to over 500 workers, making it the largest employer on the Landing. However, Wayfair confirmed that it will not renew the lease on its last Maine office after most local employees shifted to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wayfair's Brunswick location is closing

Wayfair's presence in Brunswick dates back to 2016 when it established a sales and customer service operation, employing over 500 people at its peak. However, recent years have seen a shift towards remote work, with the company laying off more than 50 employees in 2020 and closing its Bangor office the following year.

The closure of the Brunswick office is part of a broader cost-saving strategy, as the company also announced a 10% reduction in its global workforce, amounting to approximately 1,750 people. While the company has not disclosed specific details about the number of employees affected at individual locations, the Brunswick site has been a notable contributor to the local community and economy.

The move away from physical offices is not unique to Wayfair, as remote work becomes increasingly prevalent in the post-pandemic era. Despite this shift, Brunswick Landing remains optimistic about attracting new businesses, particularly those in the aerospace and biotech industries requiring larger spaces for research and development.

The closure of Wayfair's Brunswick location underscores the evolving nature of work and the ongoing adjustments made by companies to adapt to changing circumstances, whether driven by economic, technological, or global health factors.

Remote work and cost-saving efforts cited as reasons

Wayfair, an online retailer of furniture and home goods, has decided not to renew its lease at Brunswick Landing in Maine. The company's decision to not extend leases at several customer service locations, including Brunswick, is driven by two primary factors: remote work and cost-saving efforts.

Remote Work

Wayfair, like many companies, has witnessed a significant shift towards remote work among its employees. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition, with most local employees of Wayfair in Brunswick already working remotely during the pandemic. This shift to remote work made it feasible for the company to consolidate its operations and rely more on virtual teams.

Cost-Saving Efforts

The company's decision to embrace remote work is also driven by a need to reduce costs. Wayfair has faced challenges with shrinking sales and softening market demand for its goods. By not renewing leases and reducing their physical footprint, Wayfair aims to lower operational expenses. This strategy aligns with their broader cost-reduction goals, which included previous layoffs in 2020 and 2021, impacting over 50 employees in Maine and the closure of their Bangor office.

Wayfair's spokesperson, Susan Frechette, affirmed their commitment to local communities, including Brunswick, despite the lease non-renewal. The company intends to continue supporting its regional employees who contribute to these communities.

The decision to leave Brunswick Landing was a separate cost-saving measure, made feasible by the high rate of remote work among local employees. Wayfair's departure from Brunswick Landing is part of a broader trend of companies re-evaluating their physical office spaces in the era of remote work and cost-cutting initiatives.

In summary, Wayfair's decision to not renew its lease at Brunswick Landing, Maine, is influenced by the widespread adoption of remote work during the pandemic and the company's efforts to reduce costs in response to business challenges. This move allows them to consolidate operations, lower expenses, and adapt to the evolving nature of work and economic pressures.

Wayfair will not renew the lease

Wayfair, the online furniture and home goods retailer, has confirmed that it will not renew the lease on its Brunswick Landing office in Maine. The Boston-based company had expanded to Maine in 2016, opening a sales and customer service operation in Brunswick. At its peak, the office was home to more than 500 workers, making Wayfair the largest employer on the Landing.

However, in recent years, the company has been reducing its Maine footprint. In February 2020, Wayfair laid off 55 people from its contact centre in Brunswick and one from its contact centre in Bangor. The following year, the company closed its Bangor office, citing the transition to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, Wayfair has confirmed that it will not be renewing its lease in Brunswick when it expires in May. A spokesperson for the company stated that the decision was driven by the increase in employees effectively transitioning to remote work and cost-saving efforts. While the number of employees affected by the closure was not disclosed, it is known that most of the 150 Mainers who remain at the company are working from home.

The decision to not renew the lease is part of Wayfair's broader cost-saving measures, including layoffs of approximately 10% of its global workforce, or 1,750 people. The Priority Real Estate Group, which owns the 40,000-square-foot office space, is now actively marketing it to other companies. Despite the departure of Wayfair, Brunswick Landing is expected to continue attracting new businesses, particularly those in need of larger spaces for manufacturing and research and development.

Brunswick Landing's largest employer

Wayfair, an online retailer of furniture and home goods, was once Brunswick Landing's largest employer. The Boston-based company expanded to Maine in 2016, opening a sales and customer service operation in Brunswick. At its peak, the office was home to over 500 workers, making it the largest employer on the Landing.

However, in January 2023, Wayfair announced that it would not renew the lease on its Brunswick office when it expired in May. The decision was attributed to the increase in remote work among its employees, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-saving efforts. Wayfair also cited its commitment to local communities and its plan to continue supporting its regional employees.

The closure of the Brunswick office was part of Wayfair's broader cost-saving strategy, which included laying off approximately 10% of its global workforce, or about 1,750 people. While specific numbers for the Brunswick location were not provided, the company confirmed that the local team had transitioned to remote work.

Despite Wayfair's departure, Brunswick Landing remains well-positioned to attract new businesses, according to Kristine Logan, executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA). In 2022, 23 companies moved to the Landing, and MRRA continues to see interest from startups, particularly those in aerospace and biotech that require larger spaces for their operations.

Wayfair expanded to Maine in 2016

The company's expansion to Maine was part of its plan to build its workforce, with an initial goal of employing 1,000 people in the state. Wayfair's Brunswick office became the largest employer on the Landing, with over 500 workers at its peak.

The decision to expand to Maine was likely influenced by the state's attractive business environment and talented workforce. Wayfair's presence in Brunswick Landing contributed significantly to the local economy, with the company's employees making up a significant portion of the regional workforce.

Wayfair's expansion to Maine was a significant development for the company, allowing it to tap into the local talent pool and establish a strong presence in the region. The company's commitment to the community was evident, and it planned to continue supporting its regional employees even after the pandemic-induced shift to remote work.

However, despite Wayfair's initial success and positive impact in Maine, the company later faced challenges. In 2020, Wayfair laid off more than 50 employees in the state and closed its Bangor office the following year. The company also decided not to renew the lease on its Brunswick office in 2023, transitioning the majority of its local employees to remote work.

Frequently asked questions