Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Who's on First in Boston's Fenway May Be Replaced by The Bullpen

Last month, we reported that a troubled Fenway bar was being shut down following a fatal shooting outside its doors on Thanksgiving morning in 2015. Now we have learned that a new spot might be going into the space.

According to a licensing board page within the city of Boston website, Who's on First on Yawkey Way is seeking a change of name tentatively to The Bullpen, though it is not known whether the person behind Who's would also be behind The Bullpen, or whether the Boston Red Sox--which controls the lease on the space and had a hand in shutting down the bar--would somehow be involved (or both). In early February, it was mentioned that Sox officials indicated in a meeting between neighborhood residents and team officials that it had apparently been planning to shut down Who's on First after the shooting death of Jephthe Chery, and even though the Boston Licensing Board had cleared the bar of any blame in that shooting in a December hearing, Red Sox President Sam Kennedy told residents in the February meeting that Who's on First would indeed be shuttered.

[March 2 update: The Boston Herald mentions that former Who's on First owner Robert Paratore is indeed behind the proposed Bullpen, though no specific details have been given on the place as of yet.]

[March 9 update: Universal Hub says that The Bullpen is planning to be a family-friendly restaurant with booths and tables, and that the space would no longer be considered a nightlife spot at all (the post also says the dance floor would be taken out). According to UH, the city will make a decision on the proposal tomorrow, and that the Red Sox have already approved of the plans and are now working out a lease with owner Robert Paratore.]

[March 10 update: CBS Boston states that the licensing board has approved of plans to replace Who's on First with The Bullpen.]

The address for Who's on First (and the proposed Bullpen) is 19 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA, 02215.

[Earlier Articles]
Who's on First in Boston's Fenway to Be Shut Down for Good
Licensing Board Takes Who's On First Action Under Advisement; Security Plan Created

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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]