After closing in late September, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department is seeking a vendor to re-open the concession pavilion in the Boston Common.
The previous contractor, Earl of Sandwich, closed down shop at the pavilion after it incurred $2.2 million in total losses over the past 11 years.
The city issued proposals shortly after the shop closed its doors, seeking a vendor to manage the pavilion’s daily operations and maintenance. Situated along a main walkway in the heart of the Boston Common, the concession pavilion attracts Boston residents and visitors alike.
While the pavilion is now a retail location, its history dates back to the 1920s, when it was originally built as a public toilet facility. It was used as a restroom until the 1970s when the city decided to close it down. It was refurbished and reopened as the Earl of Sandwich in 2013 after extensive repairs and retrofitting.
Despite the attractive location of Boston Common, the pavilion site has multiple drawbacks when running a restaurant.
To start, the building itself is small. There is no room for indoor seating, so the restaurant offers takeout and some outdoor seating from April to October, although sales are typically subject to weather conditions.
Restaurant competition in the Common area includes a beer garden at the Uncommon Stage, located at the corner of Tremont and Boylston streets, in the summer and push-cart vendors that sell snacks and drinks at high-traffic points throughout the park.
Leora Lanz, an associate professor at the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, said any new tenant at the location will have to drum up sales.
“Putting signs out on streets surrounding the park would be a good idea at a minimum,” she said.
“There’s an opportunity for the operator to establish and market a restaurant with a ‘sense of place,’” she said. “A restaurant in a park can be positioned as a destination unto its own—a place where people who work or live or visit consider it as a ‘go-to.’”
Depending on who gets the bid for the location, alcohol service may be allowed as part of the business opportunity, with the vendor being responsible for procuring all applicable permits associated with food and beverage services.
“We are now open to beer and wine as part of the food operations, which is different from the prior lease,” said Ryan Woods, the city’s parks commissioner.
When asked if the successful bidder would be allowed to expand the 660-square-foot building to accommodate some indoor seating, Woods answered that the Boston Common is a national and local landmark.
“There are restrictions that may not allow it, but every proposal will be carefully considered,” Woods said.
The contract period will commence upon award and is expected to continue throughout the 2024 season, with specific dates to be determined based on operational needs.
