Barrel House Z in Weymouth Has Closed

A local brewery that resided on the South Shore for approximately ten years has very quietly shut down.

According to a Facebook post from the business, Barrel House Z in Weymouth is no longer in business, having closed its doors permanently on February 7. The post says the following about the closure:

And…that's a wrap.  For multiple reasons, Barrel House Z has closed its doors....The market has changed dramatically over the last 2-3 years. Demand for alcoholic beverages have declined generally, and demand for craft beer has declined specifically.  People are not going out as much for food and beverage. We attempted to pivot in the direction of the "experience" business, offering food and events/entertainment but found ourselves now not only competing with other breweries and tap rooms, but hospitality providers generally. In summary, we struggled mightily in the face of a shrinking market, rising costs to operate, and a substantial debt service that was taken on in the aftermath of Covid.  Less cash income + rising expenses do not make for a solid business, and we found ourselves in an untenable cash flow situation. 

Barrel House Z first opened on Woodrock Road in September of 2016, though its founder--Russ Heissner--has been in the business for a long time, being Harpoon's first brewer back in 1986.

The address for the now-closed Barrel House Z was 95 Woodrock Road, Weymouth, MA, 02189.

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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]

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Jojo's Opens in Weymouth

A new bakery has come to the South Shore, and the owner of a nearby bakery and charcuterie shop is running it.

Based on information from a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, along with the website for the place, Jordania Roach of Amorepas Kitchen in Quincy's Wollaston neighborhood has opened Jojo's in Weymouth, with the new shop residing by the intersection of Middle Street and Washington Street. A Facebook post from Amorepas Kitchen as well as its website mentions that Jojo's offers baked goods, charcuterie boards, and sweet treats.

The address for Jojo's is 644 Middle Street, Weymouth, MA, 02189. Its website can be found at https://jojosweymouth.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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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]

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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Cupcake Mojo in Weymouth Is Expanding to Boston's Seaport District

It looks like a cupcake shop on the South Shore is opening a new outlet by the Boston waterfront.

According to a source, Cupcake Mojo in Weymouth is getting ready to open in the city's Seaport District, with a Facebook post from the business saying that the new store is about a week away from opening while also mentioning that the Middle Street shop on Weymouth is currently open for takeout. No address for the new location has been given as of yet, but based on the photos shown in the Facebook post, it looks like it could be at 85D Northern Avenue which would put it across the street from the ICA and Seaport Square.

In addition to its shop in the Shaws Plaza in Weymouth, Cupcake Mojo also sells its cupcakes at several locations of Wahlburgers along with Tony's Clam Shop in Quincy and LiL Duke's Ice Cream Shoppe in Hanover.

The website for Cupcake Mojo can be found at https://www.cupcakemojo.com/

[September 10 update: According to a press release, Cupcake Mojo is slated to open on September 19, and it will be located at The Current, a pop-up village at 100 Seaport Boulevard that is next to Seaport Common. (The Current will be open from September 12 through January 16, 2021.)]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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]

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Vitamin Sea Brewing Is Opening in Weymouth

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like another brewery is on its way to the South Shore, and this one will be a very short distance from another brewery.

According to an article from Wicked Local, Vitamin Sea Brewing is planning to open in Weymouth, moving into a building on Moore Road that is around the corner from Barrel House Z on Woodrock Road. The post says that the place will include a taproom and a brewing area, and that it will be mainly a production facility, closing each night at 8:00 PM. If all goes as planned, Vitamin Sea Brewing could be opening as early as September.

In addition to the upcoming Vitamin Sea Brewing and Barrel House Z, another brewery that recently opened nearby is Widowmaker, which is located in Braintree just west of the Braintree Split.

The address for Vitamin Sea Brewing is 30 Moore Road, Weymouth, MA, 02189. Its Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Vitaminseabrewing/

[February 8, 2019 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Vitamin Sea Brewing opens its doors tomorrow at noon. (Thanks to a source for bringing this to our attention.)]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Good Places to Get Beer in the Boston Area]

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Hilltop Butcher Shop in Weymouth Has Closed

A popular butcher shop on the South Shore has shut down for good, and with it, an iconic name has officially disappeared from the Boston-area landscape.

According to one of our sources, the Hilltop Butcher Shop in Weymouth is no longer in business, with a Facebook post from the place indicating that it actually closed sometime last month. An earlier article from the Patriot Ledger hinted to this happening, saying that the store was simply not getting enough business to remain in operation, so owner John Caccavaro and general manager Greg Hay decided to shut it down.

The Hilltop Butcher Shop had originally been located in Braintree--along with a location of the Hilltop Steak House--until 2007 when the restaurant closed and the store moved to Weymouth; the Ledger says that Caccavaro and Hay took the shop over last December when it looked like High County Investors (the parent company) might try to close its doors. The original Hilltop Steak House in Saugus shuttered in the fall of 2013 after more than 50 years in business, with the landmark building being demolished in April of this year.

The address for the now-closed Hilltop Butcher Shop was 116 Main Street, Weymouth, MA, 02188.

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Barrel House Z Brewery to Open in Weymouth

A small-batch brewery is on its way to the South Shore, and the person behind it is very well-known within the local beer scene.

According to a Twitter post from Boston Herald writer @DGoodison, Barrel House Z Brewery (which will also be known as BHZ Brewing) is coming to Weymouth, with Russ Heissner--who was Harpoon's first brewer back in 1986--being the founder of the place. The new brewery, which will be located on Woodrock Road just off Route 53 near the Hingham line, will focus on barrel-aged beer, partnering with Harpoon (which will supply it with wort) and Boston-based Bully Boy Distillers (which will provide it with barrels).

If all goes as planned, Barrel House Z should be opening in the second quarter of 2016, with brewery tours and a tasting room following in the middle and latter part of the year, respectively.

The website for Barrel House Z can be found at http://www.barrelhousez.net/

[May 26, 2016 update: Eater Boston mentions that Barrel House Z could be  up and running in the next few weeks with the tasting room possibly being open within four to six weeks, pending approval of its license from the state.]

[September 7, 2016 update: Barrel House Z is indeed up and running now, with a limited opening allowing customers to be able to fill crowlers and mini-growlers--and a Twitter post from them indicates that the taproom could be opening in the next couple of weeks.]

[September 22, 2016 update: Boston Magazine says that the taproom at Barrel House Z is now open, and that it offers both samples and full pours from its rotating offerings of barrel-aged beer.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Good Places to Get Beer in the Boston Area]

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