Fans of Boston Market rotisserie chicken can no longer find said poultry in the chain’s namesake city.
Boston Market has closed its 245 Massachusetts Ave. restaurant near Boston Symphony Hall. The venue was the chain’s last location within Boston city limits. Its shuttering is part of a 45-store closing, or 10% of its overall chain, that took place between late June and early July, Boston Restaurant Talk reports.
Boston Market CEO Frances Allen said in a letter to employees the “difficult decisions” to close the stores came after an overall company analysis as well as discussions with landlords.
“We must take steps to ensure our operational structure will support long-term sustainability. Part of that effort involves continuously analyzing our geographic footprint and real estate portfolio to assess the ongoing viability of locations," Allen said in his letter, which was obtained by MassLive. “The dynamics of geographic areas can change dramatically over time, sometimes impacting the performance of a location. Similarly, when leases are up for renewal, we must decide whether to renew the lease or exit the location.”
The company began in 1984 in Newton under the name “Boston Chicken.” The company eventually changed its name to Boston Market Corp. in 1995. McDonald’s bought the chain in 2000 for nearly $174M. It has been owned by private equity firm Sun Capital Partners since 2007.
Greater Boston fans of the chain won’t be entirely devoid of Boston Market. The company still has 16 locations across Massachusetts, with the Saugus and Medford locations being closest to Boston's city limits.
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