Photo by Steve Adams/Banker & Tradesman Staff
Boston’s first large-scale food hall is set to end its seven-year run in the Fenway on Jan. 23.
Vendors were informed by management of the pending closure according to the Boston Business Journal, which first reported the news.
“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,” CEO Michael Marley said in a statement.
The ambitious reimagining of a former Best Buy store at the former Landmark Center, now known as 401 Park, set the stage for Boston commercial landlords to add food court-style amenities with a wide array of global cuisines.
The 25,000 square-foot Fenway property opened in 2019, part of a chain of Time Out Markets that currently numbers 13 locations across the globe. A message was left seeking comment with Time Out Media, the travel guide publisher and parent company of the food hall.
The Hub on Causeway, 100 High St. office tower and Studio Allston hotel subsequently opened smaller food halls which remain in operation.
Suburban office park owners also have partnered with food hall operators. Greatland Realty Partners added a Craft Food Hall at 3 Maguire Road in Lexington.
Landlords’ agreements with food halls range from leases to licensing agreements. Food halls typically negotiate short-term deals with vendors, and use universal point-of-sale systems to track sales in real time and swap out underperforming operators.
The 1.2 million square-foot Fenway property, currently owned by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, was substantially updated under Samuels & Associates’ ownership. A former Sears warehouse, it contains office space that was marketed to a growing tech industry presence including restaurant software vendor Toast.
Toast terminated its lease at 401 Park in 2023.
The Fenway’s office and lab markets have receded in the past two years, giving retail and restaurant operators a smaller pool of drop-in customers.
At the end of 2025, office vacancies in the Fenway/Kenmore Square submarket stood at 28.9 percent, according to CBRE, while lab vacancies were 24.9 percent.
The 401 Park Drive property also is set to lose another retail anchor in outdoors apparel vendor REI, which announced the store’s pending closure later this year.
