Boloco will close its last Boston restaurant on Sept. 25, pulling the plug on a burrito era that once stretched across New England and has slowly been whittled down to a single downtown shop.
The company announced the September shutdown in a Facebook post, noting that the building has been sold and the lease will not be renewed and adding, "It's been a hell of a ride," as reported by Axios. The post identifies the final location as 50 Congress St., which will keep serving customers until the Sept. 25 closing date.
Sale And Redevelopment Cited
The timing lines up with a broader wave of downtown redevelopment. Filings and reporting indicate the 10-story building at 50 Congress has been targeted for an office-to-residential conversion, a move that often clears out ground-floor retail. Earlier this year Boston Business Journal reported plans to convert 50 Congress into apartments as part of a wider conversion pipeline.
A Familiar Name Fades
At its peak Boloco operated nearly two dozen locations across New England, a footprint that has steadily shrunk over the years. The scaled-back business is reflected on the Boloco site, where the company leans into its emphasis on worker pay and community impact.
Final Days And The Future
In the run-up to closing, the company says customers can expect rotating specials and farewell items, with staff serving right through the final day on Sept. 25. Earlier this year co-founder John Pepper wrote that Boloco would pare back to a single location and that Conicia "CJ" Jackson planned a different concept in Hanover, according to a post Pepper shared on LinkedIn.
For plenty of Bostonians and former students, the shutdown will feel like more than just another lunch option disappearing. Boloco helped define a local fast-casual moment, thanks to staples like its buffalo-chicken burrito and Nutella milkshake. When the doors close on Sept. 25, it will cap a 29-year chapter in the city's daily lunch routine.
