Closing La Boca Mexican Restaurant and Cantina - Loss of a Community Hub and "Third Place"

This post is a response to the recent Middletown Press article regarding La Boca’s closing and its uncertain future. I’m grateful that the piece included perspectives from community members and employees like Derek and Aly. It’s important that readers understand the real impact this loss would have on our Middletown community. I hope to add my own expressions of grief and gratitude as both a patron and a Middletonian.

For many of us, La Boca is a modern-day “Cheers.” The regular patrons and staff all know one another. We support one another. We walk and drive each other home, host events together, show up for birthdays, engagements, and even gender reveals. I know I’m not alone in feeling this deep fondness and connection not only to the space, but to the people who fill it.

This sense of community extends far beyond social gatherings. Some of our most meaningful examples of support took place just this fall and winter. I helped spearhead a Thanksgiving food drive during La Boca’s weekly Open Mic Night, which brings together a tight-knit and collaborative group of local musicians and artists. The event was wonderfully attended, and together we - from longtime regulars to Wesleyan students - collected 385 pounds of nonperishable food items. Two friends and I delivered the donations to Amazing Grace Food Pantry on Stack Street the following day.

In December, Middletown native Joey Wit hosted his 7th Annual Rock & Roll Toy Drive at La Boca. Once again, the community came together for a night of music and generosity, filling several high-top tables with toys for Middletown Parks & Recreation. The camaraderie amongst people who gather here, who love this city, has had direct positive impacts on our neighbors and community members. It’s important for the public - and for the new ownership - to understand that La Boca is not simply a restaurant or a bar. It is a family. For many of us, it is the closest thing Middletown has to a true “third place;" a space outside of home and work where we can connect with neighbors and foster a sense of belonging. In an age increasingly defined by technology and divisiveness, that function feels more essential than ever.

New owner Eric Goodman of ES Goodman Group speaks on his website about a “philosophy of fostering community growth.” I sincerely hope that philosophy inspires collaboration with the city, and the current La Boca team to preserve and support the vibrant, welcoming community that already exists within its walls.

La Boca is more than a business and a restaurant. It is a gathering place, and a support system. I hope its future reflects the deep roots it has already planted in Middletown.