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Boloco, a modern Mexican restaurant with five locations across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, announced that it closed the doors of its location at 1080 Boylston Street in Boston permanently on Friday, Aug. 25, according to a post on Boloco's Facebook page.
The Boylston Street location, the business's first, opened in 1997 as "The Wrap." The business changed its name to Boloco in 2005.
"We've loved being part of the fabric of Boston since the late 90's - watching Boston grow up into the exciting, thriving, diverse city it is today," the post read.
Two other Boloco locations will close by the end of the year, according to a Facebook post made by co-founder John Pepper. The eateries. at 176 Boylston Street and 50 Congress Street will shutter at the end of their leases.
Boloco's two other locations at 283 Longwood Avenue and 35 South Main Street in Hanover, New Hampshire, are also "facing uncertainty," Pepper wrote.
"These past 3 years have been very difficult at Boloco – not so different from street businesses everywhere, many of which have disappeared," said Pepper. Pepper also shared that restaurant employees have been finding some jobs elsewhere.
Boloco was in talks to sell or give the business to various parties, but those conversations fell through, according to Pepper.
"Ironically, 2023 has been a great year for Boloco – sales are up over 25% vs 2022 and we’ve returned to 2019 levels in all but one restaurant," wrote Pepper. "That has helped us make a relatively soft landing as we come to a close."
"I’m proud of so much that we’ve done together," Pepper said. "And while I’m sad that it didn’t lead to the long-term growth I had always dreamed of, I am at peace with all of it. There was so much that went right - I mean, 26 1/2 years is something in and of itself! - and the things that went wrong or weren’t in our control we must accept, learn the lessons and pass them on to others, and move on with gratitude in our hearts."
Boloco's locations, other than 1080 Boylston Street, are open for dine-in, delivery, and catering orders, at least for now.
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