Lombardo's in Randolph Is Going Up for Auction

One of the best-known event venues in the Greater Boston area is going on the auction block.

An email sent to us indicates that Lombardo's in Randolph is putting more than 400 items up for auction, including catering and event equipment, furniture, light fixtures (including its iconic chandelier), and more, with the online auction taking place on February 15 via Boston auction firm Paul E. Saperstein Co. and Bidspotter. The Lombardo family announced the sale of its property last September and also announced the formation of the Lombardo Hospitality Group, which is behind Bardo's Bar Pizza in South Boston and Norwood, as well as Off The Vine Catering.

Lombardo's traces its roots to a butcher shop in East Boston that was established nearly 100 years ago, with the Lombardo family subsequently opening a supermarket in Eastie in the 1950s before eventually opening event venues in East Boston and, later, Randolph.

The website for the Lombardo Hospitality Group is at https://lombardoshospitality.com/

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The Pour House to Have Its Assets Sold in an Auction

What was once one of the best-known bars in Boston is going up for auction.

According to a post within the Paul Saperstein auctioneers website and a page within the Bidspotter site, The Pour House is having its assets sold in an online-only auction on July 19 at 11:00 AM. Included in the auction will be the bar's outdoor signs, neon lights, booths and tables, wood statue, and sports memorabilia, and the items will be available for inspection by appointment at the Stoughton office of the auctioneer.

The Pour House, which had been in operation for nearly 35 years in the Back Bay, temporarily closed in March of 2020 and announced a few months later that it would not be returning. A new spot called Dani's Queer Bar will be moving into the Boylston Street space that had been home to the bar.

NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

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[More restaurant openings/closings from the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Aegean Restaurant in Framingham Sold at Foreclosure Auction

Early last year, it was reported that a longtime Greek restaurant could be going up for auction, and now we have learned that the place has indeed been auctioned off.

According to a source, the Aegean Restaurant in Framingham was sold for $1,1 million at a foreclosure auction today, with a MetroWest Daily News article stating that Paul Linder of Brookline was the winning bidder. The article says that Linder is not sure whether he will continue to have the property set up as a restaurant or whether he will convert it to something else, saying that "I have no idea" what will become of the space at this point in time.

The Framingham location of the Aegean Restaurant, which was initially supposed to go on the auction block in February of 2020, first opened approximately 40 years ago and was joined by a second location in Watertown in 2001; the Framingham location moved in 2005 while the Watertown outlet shut down in 2016.

The address for the former Aegean Restaurant space is 257 Cochituate Road (Route 30), Framingham, MA, 01701.

[Earlier Articles]
Aegean Restaurant in Framingham Could Be Going Up for Auction
Aegean Restaurant in Framingham to Remain Open for Now

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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Hopsters in Newton and Boston Are Hitting the Auction Block

Last month, it was reported that a local brewery with two locations in the Boston area appeared to be headed toward liquidation. Now we have learned that this has indeed happened and that pieces of the places are going to be sold off.

According to a tweet from @TheDrewStarr (via an ad on Brewbound), Hopsters in Newton and Boston are going on the auction block, with auction and appraisal firm Paul E. Saperstein Co. showing that brewery equipment, kitchen and bar equipment, fixtures and furniture, and electronics are being offered via online auctions for the Boston location on January 5 and the Newton location on January 12. In November, a judge rejected a bid by Hopsters to prevent a trustee from changing a September bankruptcy filing to a liquidation; back in September, Hopsters founder/owner Lee Cooper had been looking to reorganize and reinvent the business in order to keep it going.

Hopsters' two locations were in Newton Corner and Boston's Fort Point neighborhood.

[Earlier Articles]
Hopsters Appears to Be Headed Toward Liquidation
Hopsters Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

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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Update: Cheers at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston Is Up for Auction

[Ed note: This article was updated to reflect an update to the press release that mentions that the auction is currently taking place.]

A now-closed Boston bar that was a replica of a watering hole in a beloved sitcom has hit the auction block.

According to a press release, an online public auction is currently being held for Cheers at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, with the bidding opening up at the beginning of last week and items closing one at a time starting tomorrow at 11:00 AM--and with local auction firm Paul E. Saperstein Co. conducting the sale which includes such items as kitchen, bar, and restaurant equipment and fixtures, along with Cheers memorabilia. The release also mentions that an online public inspection of the available items is taking place from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM today at bidspotter.com.

Cheers at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, which closed on August 30 after 20 years in operation, was a recreation of the bar shown on the set of Cheers, a TV show that ran from 1982 to 1993. (The original Cheers/Bull & Finch Pub on Beacon Street remains open for business.)

The address for the Faneuil Hall location of Cheers was 1 S Market Street, Boston, MA, 02109. The website for the Beacon Street location is at https://cheersboston.com/

[Earlier Article]
Cheers at Faneuil Hall Marketplace Is Closing for Good

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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Rattlesnake Bar & Grill in Boston's Back Bay Going to Auction January 25

An iconic Back Bay spot is on its way to the auction block after closing its doors in the fall.

According to a source, the Rattlesnake Bar & Grill on Boylston Street is having a bankruptcy sale on Wednesday, January 25, with a page from bostonrestaurantequipment.com showing that an array of kitchen items and fixtures will be auctioned off that day, including tables, chairs, draft beer systems, doors, pots, pans, file cabinets, and more. The dining and drinking spot shut down in November of 2016 and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation around the time of its closure, with a creditor's meeting apparently taking place late last month.

The Rattlesnake Bar & Grill had been in business for more than a quarter century.

The address for the now-closed Rattlesnake Bar & Grill was 384 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

[January 25 update: A Facebook post from E. F. Smith & Son indicates that the auction of the Rattlesnake Bar & Grill took place at 11:00 AM today.]

[Earlier Article]
Rattlesnake Bar & Grill in Boston's Back Bay Has Closed

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Investment Group Purchases Cosi Restaurant Chain

A troubled Boston-based group of dining spots has been bought by an investment group.

According to an article in The Boston Herald, LIMAB LLC was picked as the winning bidder for Cosi in what is called a "stalking horse" bid (an initial bid that is not matched by any other subsequent bidders), with the price being $6.8 million. The post says that the bid from LIMAB, which is made up of AB Opportunity Fund LLC, AB Value Partners LP and entities connected to Milfam LLC, still needs court approval, and it is not yet known what might happen to the remaining locations of the chain.

Cosi has gone through a rough stretch of late, declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy and subsequently having its common stock delisted from The Nasdaq Stock Market. Several locations have shut down, including outlets in Boston's Back Bay, State Street in the Financial District, South Station, and in Cambridge's Kendall Square.

[Earlier Article]
Cosi Seeks to Sell Its Assets in What Could Be an Auction

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Cosi Seeks to Sell Its Assets in What Could Be an Auction

A troubled Boston-based chain of dining spots that has filed for bankruptcy and been delisted from the stock market may now be going on the auction block.

According to a post on the Nasdaq GlobeNewswire, Cosi is looking to sell its assets, seeking qualified bidders who may want to make the purchase via a sale process under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, which typically refers to the auctioning off of assets. A tweet from @WSJBankruptcy seems to confirm this, saying that "Cosi is seeking permission to move ahead with a November auction."

Over the past couple of weeks, Cosi declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and subsequently had its common stock delisted from The Nasdaq Stock Market. (Its shop in Boston's Back Bay closed shortly before the bankruptcy filing as well.)

[November 9 update: An article posted in Yahoo Finance mentions that an auction for all or "substantially all" of Cosi's assets may take place on November 30, depending on whether one or more qualified bids are received; if not, the bid of a "Stalking Horse Bidder" (an initial bid from a buyer chosen by Cosi) would be accepted and no auction will take place.]

[Earlier Articles]
Cosi to Be Delisted from The Nasdaq Stock Market
Cosi Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Cosi in Boston's Back Bay Has Closed

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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Sierra's Space in Sudbury to Go on the Auction Block

The roller coaster ride for a troubled dining spot is officially over.

According to an article in the Sudbury Town Crier, the space where Sierra's had once been is scheduled to go up for auction today following the foreclosure of the North Road property by owner Sam Cannarozzi. As previously reported, both Sam and Erica Cannarozzi had been hoping to open Erica's Italian Table in the former Sierra's space once the taxes they owed on the latter were paid, but the $50,000 owed have since escalated to nearly $64,000 and the foreclosure took place due to failure to pay the mortgage. (Whoever buys the property will need to pay the back taxes, according to the post.)

Sierra's was a Tex-Mex restaurant that temporarily closed in April of 2013 because of financial problems, then reopened, then closed again in August of 2014. A few months later, the Cannarozzis announced that they had plans to open Erica's, but it never came to be.

The address for the Sierra's space is 470 North Road, Sudbury, MA, 01776.

[August 2 update: According to a post on pesco.com, the auction of the Sierra's space was postponed due to bankruptcy and is now expected to take place on September 7.]

[Earlier Articles]
Erica's Italian Table on Track to Open in Former Sierra's Space in Sudbury
Update: Owners of Now-Closed Sierra's in Sudbury Attempting to Open Erica's within Space

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Auction for Benjamin's Fixtures, Equipment Being Held; Demolition Permit Application Submitted

A few months ago, we reported that the auction of a now-closed landmark restaurant was unsuccessful, and we have now learned that a second auction is in the works for its "personal property," while the future of the building itself is now in question.

According to an article in the Taunton Daily Gazette, a new auction for Benjamin's restaurant will take place on January 14, with this one focusing on fixtures, furniture, kitchen equipment, and more rather than the actual building. The article mentions that Joseph Baptista, who is the president and chief executive of Mechanics Cooperative Bank has also filed an application for a demolition permit for the Bay Street property, just in case a buyer is not found and the only option left is to level it and possibly replace with with new development such as housing. (A September auction of the Benjamin's property was unsuccessful because none of the bids met the minimum amount set by the bank.)

[January 15 update: Wicked Local Mansfield states that the auction went through yesterday and that the Benjamin's building is now a "shell." Mechanics Cooperative Bank Senior Vice President Nancy E. Stokes indicates in the article that it will never be a restaurant again, while the article's headline says that the structure is now "likely" awaiting demolition.]

Benjamin's first opened in 1968, becoming a popular dining destination that offered a variety of classic American items in a formal environment as well as a space for various functions and events. The restaurant closed last May and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The address for the Benjamin's property is 698 Bay Street, Taunton, MA, 02780.

[Earlier Articles]
Auction of Benjamin's Restaurant in Taunton Unsuccessful
Benjamin's Restaurant in Taunton Has Closed

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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Auction of Benjamin's Restaurant in Taunton Unsuccessful

A now-closed landmark restaurant and function facility went up for auction this week without success, and now the bank that owns it needs to find a way to sell the property.

According to an article in Wicked Local Middleborough, an auction was held for Benjamin's restaurant in Taunton yesterday, but none of the bids met the minimum amount set by Mechanics Cooperative Bank; the post says that the auction lasted a total of five minutes with the highest bid on the Bay Street space being $750,000, and the auctioneer was overheard saying to the President and CEO of the bank, "Sorry it didn’t work out" as the auction ended. Now it appears that Mechanics Cooperative Bank will likely work with prospective buyers or they could possibly put it on the retail market in order to sell the 25,000-square-foot property that way, according to the article.

Benjamin's, which first opened in 1968, was a formal dining destination that offered a variety of classic American items. The restaurant shut down in May and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The address for Benjamin's property is 698 Bay Street, Taunton, MA, 02780.

[Earlier Article]
Benjamin's Restaurant in Taunton Has Closed

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Hungry Mother in Cambridge's Kendall Square to Have Auction/Tag Sale August 23

A now-closed award-winning restaurant in Cambridge is opening back up this weekend, though not for the reason you might think.

Eater Boston mentions that Hungry Mother in the Kendall Square section of the city will be having an auction/tag sale on Sunday from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, where people can purchase pieces of the dining spot. The event--which is also a cocktail party--will allow folks to purchase such items as pans, cutlery, framed postcards, a host stand, light fixtures, and more.

Hungry Mother closed its doors on July 3, with owner Barry Maiden leaving the restaurant while the rest of the team stayed put with the plan being to eventually open a new dining spot there. (They also run State Park, which is located nearby at One Kendall Square.)

The address for Hungry Mother is 233 Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02141.

[Earlier Article]
Hungry Mother in Cambridge's Kendall Square Is Closing

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Mandarin Oriental Boston Hotel (Home of Bar Boulud) May Be Heading to Auction Block

A high-end Back Bay hotel that is home to a relatively new French restaurant appears to be headed toward the auction block.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Irish Bank Resolution Corp. is looking to sell the Mandarin Oriental Boston hotel on Boylston Street and is seeking approval of an auction from a bankruptcy judge. The article says that IRBC, which came to be after Anglo Irish Bank Corp. was dissolved and nationalized by the Irish government, is hoping to sell the property while the real estate market in Boston is still hot, and that some of the hotel's apartments have already been put up for sale as condos.

The hotel, which is run by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, is home to Bar Boulud, a high-end restaurant that Chef Daniel Boulud opened last September. (The original Bar Boulud opened in New York in 2008.)

The Mandarin Oriental Boston and Bar Boulud are located at 776 Boylston Street by the Prudential Center.

[Earlier Article]
Bar Boulud Is Opening in Boston's Back Bay

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Daisy Buchanan's in Boston's Back Bay Facing Possible Foreclosure Auction

A popular Back Bay watering hole that has been in business for more than 40 years is facing the possibility of foreclosure.

The Boston Business Journal is reporting that the property at the corner of Newbury Street and Fairfield Street where Daisy Buchanan's resides--along with the now-closed Ciao Bella--could be going to auction, with Daniel P. McLaughlin & Co. scheduling an on-site foreclosure auction for the site on March 6. The article mentions that the attorney for Joseph P. Cimino, a trustee of JC Realty Trust, says his client is hoping to resolve a dispute concerning the borrowing of money for the property and does not think that the auction will actually take place.

[March 19 update: A new article from the Boston Business Journal mentions that the auction has been postponed until Friday, March 28. (The article also says that the attorney for Joseph P. Cimino could not be reached for comment.) One final note--a check on Daisy Buchanan's last night indicates that the place is still open for now.]

[March 29 update: The Boston Herald states that the Daisy Buchanan's auction has been postponed again, this time until June--and the watering hole now appears to be on the verge of being sold, apparently allowing Daisy's to stay open until at least the end of the baseball season if it goes through. The article says that the deal could also bring a "big and high end" spot to the Ciao Bella space.]

Daisy Buchanan's first opened its doors in 1970.

The address for Daisy's is 240 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

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Hungry Betty's in Marblehead Has Closed; Auction Taking Place January 10

A North Shore restaurant has closed its doors, and it is going to be heading to auction this week.

A Facebook post from North Shore Dish indicates (via pesco.com) that Hungry Betty's Bar & Grill in Marblehead is no longer in business, and that its liquor license, lease interest, and equipment are all being offered in an auction that takes place tomorrow at the site of the now-closed Pleasant Street spot. Some of the items in the auction include TVs, chairs, tables, fryers, a broiler, a bar top, and more.

Hungry Betty's first opened in March of 2011.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in Marblehead is: Hungry Betty's Bar & Grill, 161 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945.

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Mantra in Boston Goes On the Auction Block

A French-Indian fusion restaurant in downtown Boston that closed about a year ago is going to be heading to auction next week.

The Boston Business Journal is reporting that the now-shuttered Mantra on Temple Place will be auctioned off on Friday, July 19, with Salvadore Auctions & Appraisals of Rhode Island setting up the auction of the nearly 10,000-square-foot space. The group behind Mantra--One World Cuisine--also closed Cafe of India in the Harvard Square section of Cambridge, though they still run Mela in Boston's South End, Kashmir and Mumbai Chopstix in the Back Bay, Bukhara in Jamaica Plain, Dosa Factory in the Central Square section of Cambridge, and Diva in the Davis Square neighborhood of Somerville, according to the BBJ.

[July 22 update: The Boston Hospitality and Tourism Industry Blog mentions that the Mantra space was sold for $1.725 million at the auction, and that this price does not include a liquor license for the spot. (There is no word as of yet on what might be going into the space.)]

[July 23 update: A new article in the Boston Business Journal states that Amir Youshaei, who owns Paz Jewelry across the street from the now-closed Mantra, was the high bidder at the auction and is now the owner of the property. (It is still not known what will be done with the space.)]

The address for the now-closed Mantra was 52 Temple Place, Boston, MA, 02111.

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Upper Crust Pizzeria Locations Head to Auction

A local group of pizzerias that abruptly shut down last month will be going to auction tomorrow, and the folks who will be bidding on it include some of its workers and possibly its founder.

The Boston Globe is reporting that "more than 60 parties" may be bidding for Upper Crust Pizzeria, including former Upper Crust managers and an attorney who is representing former workers in a class-action lawsuit. The article also mentions that Upper Crust founder Jordan Tobins, who continues to run the Brookline and Beacon Hill locations of the pizzeria (which both remain open), is apparently involved with a private equity firm to make a bid for several of the shops as well. The auction, which takes place at an undisclosed spot in Boston, will allow offers for leases on individual shops, multiple locations, and the entire business.

A total of 10 locations of Upper Crust closed in the middle of November after basically running out of money. The pizza chain had filed for bankruptcy in October after a troubled run that included issues with overtime pay and federal investigations.

[December 20 update: The Boston Business Journal gives the following breakdown of the results of the auction: Tobins and a private equity firm bought four locations of Upper Crust (South End, Lexington, Watertown, Wellesley); a group of former employees purchased the Harvard Square shop; Boston Restaurant Associates (owner of the Pizzeria Regina chain) bought the Fenway location; the Financial District shop was sold to the owners of the building, as was the case with a location in Washington, DC; and a franchisee in Plymouth bought the Hingham location. In addition, The Boston Globe mentions that a worker for a real estate and hospitality investment firm purchased the Newbury Street shop.]

[Earlier Article]
Upper Crust Closes Most Locations; Future of Stores Unclear

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