Boston’s Time Out Market, a Fenway food hall that billed itself as “the best of the city under one roof” when it opened less than seven years ago, is now set to close.
The last day of business will be Jan. 23.
“Following the pandemic, we have seen the Boston Market recover and grow, and we have focused on initiatives driving further growth; however, footfall until today remains inconsistent in the area due to ongoing hybrid working and in addition, operating costs have increased – all of which prevents consistent profitability,” Time Out Market CEO Michael Marlay said in a statement.
Time Out Market
The 27,000-square-foot space at 401 Park Drive has 15 eateries, two bars and a patio. Restaurants there included Ms. Clucks Deluxe, Cusser’s Roast Beef & Seafood, Taqueria El Barrio, Blue Ribbon Barbecue, A&B Burgers, Lala’s Neapolitan-ish Pizza, LuLu Green and Union Square Donuts.
“I thought it was a joke,” said an employee at Cusser’s who did not want to be identified. “We found out just like two days ago and these past two nights, I haven’t even slept yet.”
The Time Out concept started in Lisbon, Portugal and expanded to New York, Chicago and more international cities. A Time Out Market in Miami closed in 2023.
The Boston Business Journal reports that the number of commercial vacancies in the Fenway area is rising. Outdoor equipment store REI, right next to the food hall, is also expected to close this year.
“I mean it’s a cool place but it’s pretty overpriced, so I don’t really go there,” said Kiki Regan who lives in the Fenway neighborhood. “So, if they’re going to make it a food hall that’s going to be quick and open like that, lower prices would be better.”
Restaurant closures in Massachusetts
At a time when inflation is high, Grant Welker from the BBJ, says people are a bit more price conscious.
“It’s definitely a difficult time of year for a lot of restaurants and a lot of retail businesses,” Welker said. “It does fit into what a lot of restaurateurs and operators tell us, which is that it always just feels harder and harder to run a restaurant profitably because costs only go up. You want to try to cushion your guests from those rising costs as much as you can, but that eats into your own profit. You have issues like trying to find enough employees or hold on to employees.”
There have been a string of notable restaurant closures in Massachusetts in recent months.
Over the weekend, Uno Pizzeria in Massachusetts closed locations in Braintree, Dedham and Revere. Bertucci’s, another Massachusetts-based pizza chain, closed multiple restaurants in the state last year as it filed for bankruptcy again.
WBZ NewsRadio reported Friday that the Dugout Cafe, a dive bar near Boston University that was one of the first to get a liquor license in the city after Prohibition ended, has closed after selling its liquor license.
Boston-based steakhouse Davio’s closed its Braintree restaurant to start the new year, The Patriot Ledger reported. And last spring, Boston said goodbye to iconic diner Twin Donuts after 70 years in business.
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