Friday, June 16, 2017

Tom English's in Dorchester to Be Sold

It looks like yet another Boston dive bar is going to be disappearing--and it may be replaced by a mixed-use development.

According to an article in the Dorchester Reporter, Tom English's on Dorchester Avenue is being sold, with the buyer possibly looking at new construction at the site; condos or apartments are being considered along with a restaurant or gastropub being an option within the development as well, though no specific plans have been submitted as of yet. The sale is expected to be finalized this summer, and a licensing board hearing is slated for June 28.

A number of dive bars have shut down in Boston over the past several years, including the Lower Mills Pub and the Centre Bar in Dorchester; Aces High, the Cornerstone Pub, and the Quencher Tavern in South Boston; and the Castlebar in Brighton. (Another Tom English's remains open in South Boston.)

The address for Tom English's is 957 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

Thanks to one of our sources for bringing this to our attention.

[January 18, 2018 update: Caught in Dot mentions that the site where Tom English's resides is indeed looking to be redeveloped, with the proposal being to build a five-story residential building with a restaurant and a market on the ground level.]

[February 16, 2018 update: Universal Hub states that the structure that would be built at the site of Tom English's and the adjacent Dorchester Market would have 38 apartments and a "contemporary aesthetic" exterior, and as mentioned before, a restaurant and a market would open on the ground floor.]

[April 25, 2018 update: Curbed Boston confirms that Tom English's will not be returning to the space, though it appears that Dorchester Market may reopen at the upcoming development (which the Zoning Board of Appeals has officially approved), along with a new restaurant.]

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]