A New York retail chain known for Asian cosmetics, snacks, and trendy toys appears headed to Allston's Harvard Avenue, where it would fill the space left behind by a liquor store that served the neighborhood for more than 70 years. Teso Life is listed as an incoming tenant at 103 Harvard Ave., the former home of Blanchard's, according to the Teso Group website.
A Long-Running Liquor Store Gives Way
Blanchard's announced its closure in late September, and the 8,000-square-foot Harvard Avenue store shut its doors Oct. 24, according to Universal Hub. As reported by Boston.com, declining sales and management changes were cited as reasons for the closure, which ended the store's run of more than 70 years at that address. Blanchard's still operates other locations in Jamaica Plain, Brockton, and Revere, per the outlet's reporting.
The Teso Group website describes the Allston location simply as coming soon, and Boston.com notes that the company did not provide an expected opening date and did not respond to a request for more information about the project. Teso Life specializes in Asian lifestyle and retail products, and the Allston store is expected to carry Asian cosmetics, snacks, home goods, and trendy toys, per Universal Hub's description of the planned shop.
From Downtown Crossing to Harvard Avenue
Teso Life is not new to Boston. The chain, founded in Flushing, New York, in 2017 according to Universal Hub, already operates a location on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, which opened in June. That store, inside a space once occupied by Forever 21, spans about 20,000 square feet across three floors, according to the Boston Globe. At the time it opened, the Globe described it as Teso Life's only New England location — a distinction the planned Allston store would end if it moves forward. The future Harvard Avenue shop would be considerably smaller than its Downtown Crossing counterpart, given that the former Blanchard's space measured just 8,000 square feet.
A Shifting Harvard Avenue
The potential arrival comes as Harvard Avenue's commercial strip is in flux. The district has seen more business closings this year than at any point since the COVID shutdown, the Globe reported in a separate piece examining the corridor. That same reporting found that newer openings along the strip increasingly involve bigger, better-known groups and franchisees rather than untested small businesses — a pattern the Teso Life listing would seem to fit. The Globe's coverage also noted that a spokesperson for the building owned by Gordon pointed out many tenants there are still paying rents below the Harvard Avenue averages of $40 to $60 per square foot annually.
For now, the Teso Group website's coming soon label is the clearest public signal of what's next for 103 Harvard Ave. Neither an opening date nor further details on the build-out have been made public, and Teso Life has not responded to inquiries seeking more information.
