The last Boston Market in Mass. has closed. What happened to the once-beloved chicken chain?

"The food came fast, yet it didn't feel like fast food; Boston Market managed to feel like a home-cooked meal. Many of us who grew up in New England have fond memories of a parent bringing home a hearty meal from Boston Market - maybe even memories of when the chain was called Boston Chicken. There was the gravy you could practically drink, gooey mac and cheese, crisp drumsticks, and that just-sweet-enough cornbread."

"Boston Chicken's premise - hearty, affordable meals to-go that could feed a family, and maybe even offer leftovers - would seem like a winning business proposition that could withstand changing trends and economics. The food came fast, yet it didn't feel like fast food; Boston Market managed to feel like a home-cooked meal. That was exactly what founders Steven Kolow and Arthur Cores were going for when they founded Boston Chicken in Newton in 1985."

"The business expanded rapidly over the next decade. Kolow and Cores brought on a partner, local businessman George Naddaff, and eventually both founders left. Boston Chicken rebranded as Boston Market in 1995, to reflect the fact that it offered more than just poultry. By 1996, the company projected it would open 2,700 new franchises in the next five to seven years - a tripling of its footprint at the time - according to the LA Times."

"That expansion led to a large amount of debt, and just two years ... The downfall of this once-omnipresent chain is a story of fast expansion, bankruptcy, private equity, and quite a few lawsuits. What the heck happened? Boston Market's premise - hearty, affordable meals to-go that could feed a family, and maybe even offer leftovers - would seem like a winning business proposition that could withstand changing trends and economics."

Boston Market became known for hearty, affordable takeout meals that felt like home cooking, including gravy, mac and cheese, drumsticks, and cornbread. The chain began as Boston Chicken in Newton in 1985, founded by Steven Kolow and Arthur Cores to offer comforting chicken at fast-food prices. Expansion accelerated through partnerships and later rebranding to Boston Market in 1995 to reflect a broader menu. By 1996, projections called for opening thousands of new franchises, but the growth created substantial debt. The company then moved through bankruptcy, private equity involvement, and multiple lawsuits, ultimately leading to the absence of any Boston Market locations in Massachusetts since 2025.

Read at Boston.com