Blood Bank shutters Wilmington donor center

The Blood Bank of Delmarva cites changing trends among blood donors as part of the reason for closing the donor center in the heart of downtown Wilmington.

 

Like many brick and mortar stores, the donor center in Wilmington was a victim of changing times.

“The days of blood donors walking through our doors is facing the same types of challenges that retailers are finding with online competitors, it’s about convenience,” said Ric Thomas VP of Technical Services for Blood Bank of Delmarva.

And while Amazon.com hasn’t figured a way to get into the blood donor business, fewer and fewer donors were walking into the Wilmington center in recent years. So, the Blood Bank will close the center which opened on the first floor of 913 Market St. in 2006. The organization’s first donor center in the building opened on the ninth floor of that same building in 1984.

“Since our lease has expired and the building has been sold, this was a good opportunity for BBD to improve how we serve our local community,” Thomas said.

Now, instead of one single location in the city for workers and residents to donate, the Blood Bank will increase the number of mobile blood drives it holds in the city. “By switching to a mobile strategy, we’ll have the ability to collect donations from a wider variety of the population, including those who spend a majority of their day inside their offices,” Thomas said.

The donor center on Market St. will continue to collect blood through June 27. Donations will still be accepted at the main Delaware office near Christiana Hospital.