A new year, a new quarter.
Please let local HOs know what’s opening and closing in Boston and New England in Jan-Mar, '25.
3 Likes
First casualty of the new year? Hook + Line has closed as of Jan 1, along with the little market next door. Sad. It wasn’t a quick lunch spot, but the few times I tried it (including the to-go foods at the market) the food was really good. I think rent in that area - but especially the fan pier - will make that place out of reach for many people and business owners a like.
3 Likes
Really sad news. We had a fabulous dinner there, but should have returned.
3 Likes
In high rent districts, you really have to be turning the tables to make a go of it. Look at All That Fish + Oyster. Garrett Harker knows a thing or to and he couldn’t sustain ATF+O.
1 Like
Sakura just opened today in Davis Square: https://sakurasomerville.com/
2 Likes
I haven’t been in Davis Square in years but it was always crazy-busy. I can’t imagine how the traffic will be.
I’m sure it’s gonna be one of those small scaled stores like the one in Central Square which depends a lot on foot traffic.
3 Likes
We walked by last night and there were a few people eating. Is there any reason to think they will do better than the previous Asian-fusiony spots that seem to cycle through this location every few years?
Literally all of Somerville is abuzz. I don’t think traffic will be a problem as the BFresh that was in that spot before did fine. There is no parking lot and I agree it will be almost all foot traffic. Shelves were stocked as of last night when we walked by and peeped in, and even some produce was present. Our family will probably stroll over Thursday night to take part in the hysteria- it will be interesting to see if there’s anything left on the shelves after the confusing grand opening specials. Personally, I’m just happy to keep a grocery of some sort in that location rather than yet another crappy pub or dispensary. I do worry about Reliable Market over in Union being able to compete though. It’s such a gem.
5 Likes
I went to the Columbus Day opening of H-Mart in Burlington many years ago. No idea WHAT I was thinking! Had to park in the (what is now) Burton’s parking lot and walk over. So much is/was out of my wheelhouse, but I walked around looking at everything, and bought a couple of things (cannot recall what). Everyone was VERY happy to have it open, and it’s still crowded when I pass it on Middlesex Turnpike.
3 Likes
You know what’s ironic? I might actually be the only person on this board who was NOT happy about that HMart opening because I really miss what was the ONLY US location of Decathlon sports that used to be in that space. We bought a car-load of stuff at the Decathlon closing clearance sale and I still have many different sporting goods and outdoorsy items I’m using from that.
2 Likes
when was that? i’ve lived and worked in somerville since the mid-90s and have absolutely no memory of decathlon sports.
The H-Mart in Burlington recently had a demonstration of breaking down a full tuna (the weekend before Christmas I believe). I wasn’t in town to go, but I would have. It’s impressive to watch someone who knows what they are doing break down that big of a fish.
I wonder if they will do anything fun and exciting for the opening like that. Maybe not since the crowds will already be large.
the perk for me will be (totally selfishly) - maybe it will pull some of the crowds away from the Burlington location 
It gets crazy on the weekends!
4 Likes
I like the Reliable Market, too, and there’s a parking lot!
1 Like
Yes, that’s what my sister said. She said size wise it will definitely be more like the Cambridge store, but she hopes it won’t have the scaled up prices that the Central Sq location does.
She lives in the area and is still excited about having another option. Reliable and Ebisuya are great for Korean and Japanese, but they don’t stock as much of the traditional Chinese groceries, and some of the SEA ingredients that you can find in the larger Chinese markets. She often comes down to Quincy with a visit to our family there to fill up on those groceries. Not sure if the new location will be able to carry more of those products, especially given the size. The HMart in Quincy has a decent selection of Chinese produce and groceries too.
4 Likes
Nope, I was sad, too, for all the mom and pop Korean grocers. I haven’t been to Reliable in ages but I also worry about them now.
Even though I live ~15 minutes from the Burlington location, I rarely go (maybe once every 2 or 3 months). I try to patronize the pricey Japanese place in my neighborhood - I can usually find what I need there. Except kimchi. My family and I just tried the Hmart in-house kimchi over the holidays and it was really good - my mom was impressed.
1 Like
It was 2006. Here’s a link to an article about the store closing.
It let me open it, then tried to put up a paywall after I’d read it. Your mileage may vary? I’d never known about the other MA locations.
Regardless, I can vouch that we had many happy purchases of sporting gear, including a Christmas where we bought snorkeling sets for our entire extended family for like $10 each- high quality stuff we still use today.
They have since opened a San Francisco location, but it’s more like a little pop up outdoor gear market, without the breadth of gear that the Burlington location had. Incidentally, Sao Miguel Azores has a fantastic Decathlon.
Sorry, completely hijacking this thread. Here, I’ll bring it around: I sport and recreate so that I can burn calories so that I can eat at all the new restaurants that open in the greater Boston area. Off to swim some laps.
2 Likes
I’ve only been to the Central Square H Mart a few times, and I am always startled by the prices for the produce, which isn’t high quality and is wrapped in plastic on styrofoam trays. I love Reliable, but the produce section is small. And I’m always looking for South East Asian ingredients for Thai, Cambodian, etc. I’ve been to markets in Revere, but it’s hard to figure out what the produce is for an English speaker, and the produce at those markets often seems past its prime.
I had just heard about this place from another post - Olespaña in Watertown - and just read that it closed. It had a bit of a strange menu, but I was curious to try it out.
1 Like
