Boston Market Disappearing From Connecticut In Business 'Death Spiral'

CONNECTICUT — It appears the Boston Market chain is methodically disappearing from the Connecticut Business landscape.

One prominent business publication — Restaurant Business — called the Boston Market saga "another ugly chapter (that) could be its last."

"After years of steady decline, the fast-casual brand appears to be in a death spiral of unpaid bills, legal filings and angry customers. Even in a world as forgiving as restaurants, it may be impossible for the chain to come back," the publication proclaimed.

The Connecticut saga is drawn out and the latest hit to Boston Market is a "judgment of possession" from a lawsuit dated last month in which Westport-based Xanandu Management sued the chain for "nonpayment based on commercial property" related to a store at 1345 East Putnam Ave. in Greenwich.

In other words, a Superior Court judge kicked Boston Market out of a once highly-visible location on the Boston Post Road.

According to a Hartford Courant report, Boston market was hit with an eviction notice for its Meriden restaurant last week, following last year's Bloomfield eviction.

Other evictions this year include West Hartford, Danbury, Stratford, Wilton and East Haven, according to the Courant report.

State tax records show that the Bristol store received a notice that its sales and use tax permit was suspended on Nov. 9.

Serious troubles in the Nutmeg State can be traced back for years. In June 2019, the North Haven location closed along with 39 other locations nationwide. In 2021, the Manchester location closed. The mourning period was short-lived, however, when Chick-Fil-A announced it was taking over the premises. The old building was razed for a new Chick-Fil-A.

The chain, which had around 1,200 locations at its peak, has seen a decline in recent years, closing 161 stores between 2017 and 2022 and about 50 more so far in 2023, according to Retail Wire.