Two branches of Boston Market, a prominent fast-casual chain, located in Chicago's Lakeview and Hyde Park, are facing closure amongst ongoing difficulties and a Labor Department wage theft investigation, as reported by Eater Chicago.
Many restaurants and cafes in the city have experienced temporary or permanent closures similar to Boston Market's. The status of some establishments remains uncertain, leaving customers and the community in the dark.
Boston Market's Elgin site shares this ambiguity. Is it temporarily closed, permanently closed, or keeping sporadic hours? An illuminated drive-thru sign and playing music suggest operation, yet the restaurant remains locked and customer-free, The Chicago Tribune reports.
These closures might stem from Boston Market's ongoing financial struggles. US Foods has sued Boston Market for over $11 million in claimed debt this year, according to Restaurant News. The chain has seen closures and evictions in different locales, including San Francisco and Rochester. In New Jersey, Boston Market made news when officials lifted a stop-work order following a back pay of $630,000 for restaurant workers, notes northjersey.com.
Images show that Boston Market is not the only establishment enduring closures. Over the past months, Boca Loca Cantina, a favorite Mexican restaurant, and LGBTQ neighborhood hangout D.S. Tequila Co., have also shut their doors, according to Eater Chicago.
Along with the indefinite shut-down of Curragh Irish Pub, Que Onda, and Giordano’s franchised restaurant due to property sales, these instances remind briefly that the hospitality industry is a mercurial sector. The Boston Market in Elgin exhibits signs of both temporary and permanent closures, causing further confusion among community members and customers, according to the Chicago Tribune.
