Boloco Tufts Has Closed

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Not as much fanfare as when they closed the Davis Sq. location, but it looks like Boloco has closed their Medford location. Not having much luck with burritos in this neck of the woods, I suppose.

Comments

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

And meanwhile, craptastic Blue Shirt continues to thrive. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD????

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

OMG srsly

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

They throw in the grit for free? And people love free things?

[squirrelitude]

Man, I love Blue Shirt! Do they even have burritos? I can't compare it on that basis; basically all I get are the hummus wrap, the Little Italy, and the PB/chocolate smoothie.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

It's the PB chocolate smoothie. They're like crack. Also they have exactly one good sandwich.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

Perhaps because they didn't embark on a major multi-store expansion just before the start of recession? Also Blue Shirt ain't bad. Personally I like them better than Boloco, though like squirrelitude I think their products are not really directly comparable. (ie. Not everyone share your tastes. I think McDonald's is terrible, for instance, but they're one of the most successful restaurants in the world.)

[somervillesnow.livejournal.com]

I'm confused at the Blue Shirt disparagement. Great place, lots of good sandwiches. And how is this independent place with lots of great sandwiches similar to a burrito chain? Are we talking Blue Shirt in Davis or some other Blue Shirt? I can understand if you don't go there, but I don't see how anyone could actively dislike it.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Opinions vary, of course. I've eaten there many times since they opened, always hoping they would start sucking less, and finally just gave up. Sometimes when family or friends visit, they end up eating there on their own since it's right there, then end up asking how the place is so successful. While some people genuinely like them, their success is a great testament to location, location, location. (I suppose a lot of people would say the same about Mike's, too.)

Several friends and I tried at various points to offer feedback to Blue Shirt, but they were not only uninterested, but pretty rude about it. Boloco, otoh, gives you freebies and a thank-you for feedback. *shrug* I know they are a chain, but they are a small local one, sponsor lots of worthwhile events, and I've had lunch with the owner. I genuinely believe that they give a crap.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I've had a lot of high-quality food and juices from Blue Shirt. I think since a lot of people have asked, what sort of feedback did you offer them? They're rarely my first choice in the square, but what has "sucked" or been 'craptastic'?

[masslibrulgirl.livejournal.com]

Agreed--every sandwich I've had there has been good. I especially love the grilled veggie and goat cheese wrap. I haven't been there in a while, though, so maybe it's gone downhill since I last ate there?

[blondeamazon.livejournal.com]

That location has been struggling for at least 5 years. They tried everything to get the students in but they are just on the wrong side of the hill.

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

Wait, what's the right side of the hill?

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

I think either side of the hill is tough, though this side does have the liquor store, but it's really tough breaking student behavior patterns. Obviously they have their dining plans, but they can also using their dining money on a certain number of restaurants -- and the restaurants have to do delivery. Boloco made the list at one time, but really struggled with delivery and the heavy discounting required to participate.

It's hard to compete with the high volume pizza model and the ingrained habits of college kids. But this is probably the best location they could hope for with Tufts, but they didn't draw enough other customers to make it a go.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

That side of the hill is just fine. Many places have been there for decades with students and locals going to all of them. Boloco closed because its sucks. What Boston ave could use is what Boloco displaced, a Breakfast/Lunch place.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it have a breakfast/lunch place or two across the street? Hillside Cafe, Tasty Gourmet (or maybe they stopped serving breakfast? I used to see it on their menu...) and I suppose Danish Pastry House too, sort of.

I think the location isn't terrible, but there are slightly more restaurants on that strip than can survive. So sometimes adequate and good ones fail while iffy ones stay around. Pasta Pisa and the Crepe place (where Hillside Cafe is now) didn't suck, and I miss them. The pizza delivery place in a converted garage that makes me think the pizzas contain automotive paint fumes, well, I can't say I've tried it, but it's still there.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

There is some breakfast food served in the area but not what was once there. That place where boloco went, Jay's, sold the building to Tufts. They made plenty of money but the family was done with owning a restaurant. The places in the area serve a niche, cheap food for students and locals and with the Tufts population ever present most do well. Pizza Day's is a prime example of filling a niche. Personally I can't stand their pizza but it does well. Boloco I don't think ever filled a niche.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

That's a bummer. Their food was adequate, cheap, and they gave out a lot of freebies.

[tinctoris.livejournal.com]

I'm going to miss it. I stopped there once a week at least.

[ron_newman]

I added the 'burritos' tag. Click on that, and you'll see that this Boloco has been struggling since 2009.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

Was that when the changed their name to Boloco? I think that was the source of their problems.

[ron_newman]

No, they've been Boloco much longer than that. I think The Tufts location has always been Boloco, not The Wrap (the chain's previous name).

[gruene.livejournal.com]

I meant as a brand. They were more successful as The Wrap. They changed their name then did a major expansion, so it's hard to isolate the two.

[ron_newman]

They've been quite successful (and continuing to expand) everywhere other than Somerville and Medford.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

The only locations that have EVER closed afaik have been the poorly-located Somerville one and now Medford. I don't think any of the others are even in danger.

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

IMHO, calling something from Boloco a "burrito" is a stretch. They make wraps. That sometimes resemble burrito-ness. When viewed from afar.

*fondly reminisces about Tacos Morenos carnitas burritos in Santa Cruz*

[granola-gurl.livejournal.com]

i miss santa cruz's yummy taquerias :(

[wintahill.livejournal.com]

Yay! Down with chains! Just kidding.

Wasn't this the shop where the owner blamed the delays on the Green Line extension for the business suffering? I found that theory a little amusing.

I am not surprised that the one in Davis Sq closed shop though. I have never actually eaten at the Blue Shirt so can't compare their burritos/wraps, but Anna's and Chipotle offer a superior product in my opinion. I occasionally eat at the Boloco on Longwood Ave when I am at work, but that is really only for the lack of better options in the area and not wanting to always eat the same things for lunch. They do seem to do a great lunch business at that one though.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Here's the sign they have posted in the window:

http://instagram.com/p/ZvdcDXvHoD/#