Compared to other U.S. cities, Boston has many businesses that have endured the passage of time. Many restaurants in Boston have been in business for many decades or even a century or so! Inevitably, other beloved stores and eateries were less fortunate and had to close their doors. Here are one dozen old Boston department stores that we still miss to this day (sigh):

1. Filene's

Flickr/legally_small
When William Filene opened his first department store - Filene's - in 1890, it was similar to all its other Boston competitors. However, his son Edward Filene took over and became the first person to introduce the idea of "bargain basement" pricing to the consumer. Extra stock was sold at low prices in the department store's lower level and Filene's Basement became hugely popular. In 2011, the brick-and-mortar store closed. An online version of Filene's is still in business.

2. Jordan Marsh

Flickr/Boston Landmarks & Archeology
Boston was the first city in the U.S. to offer a department store, among other things. Jordan Marsh and Company went on to spawn locations throughout the country and the world. The flagship store was demolished in the 1970s and other branches were taken over by Macy's.

3. Gilchrist's

Wikimedia Commons/Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)
At one time, Jordan Marsh, Filene's, and Gilchrist were the three shopping landmarks of Downtown Crossing. Gilchrist's opened in Boston in 1842 and, by 1964, there were multiple store locations across Greater Boston. Gilchrist's building is still standing, although the store itself closed in 1977. This popular spot was especially well-known for its macaroons!

4. Anthony's Pier 4 Restaurant

Flickr/Dale Cruse
This beloved restaurant launched in 1963 and quickly became THE place to dine and hobnob. Famous folks like Joe DiMaggio and Judy Garland dined here, and it was particularly popular with Boston's political power players. This establishment was the brainchild of Anthony Athanas, who immigrated to the U.S. from Albania. He turned Anthony's Pier 4 into one of the most financially successful restaurants in the country and was known for always being on hand to welcome guests to his seafood restaurant (which was also famous for its popovers). The restaurant closed in 2013, but the same family still owns Hawthorne by the Sea Tavern in Swampscott and Anthony's Cummaquid Inn in Yarmouth Port.

5. Hilltop Steakhouse

Flickr/Michael Femia
A 68-foot-tall cactus sign is all that remains of this once-huge restaurant in Saugus. The chain of restaurants was born in the 1960s and spread to other New England states like Connecticut and New Hampshire. However, the Saugus location on Route 1 was truly vast, with a dining room that could accommodate well over 1,000 diners. Sadly, it closed in 2013.

6. Kennedy's Department Store

Flickr/Boston Landmarks & Archeology
At first, Kennedy's specialized in boy's and men's clothing before venturing into the field of women's clothing in the 1930s. During the 1980s, Kennedy's struggled and had to shut the doors of its main store (at Summer and Hawley Streets). This 1874 building was supposed to be knocked down, but preservationists campaigned against this move and were able to save the top three floors of the façade.

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7. Locke-Ober

Flickr/BEV Norton
Locke-Ober was a Boston dining institution from 1875 until 2012. During its 137 years in business, this establishment was known for its elegance, history, and steak and lobster fare. Formality was always in fashion at Locke-Ober and the restaurant's last owner, David Ray, decided to shut down rather than change Locke-Ober's signature style. The space is now occupied by Yvonne's.

8. Johnny D's

Flickr/Tim Sackton
For 47 years, Johnny D's in Somerville was a popular music venue for acts ranging from the Dixie Chicks to Neil Young. Whether you were in the mood for jazz, blues, rock, folk or just a great brunch, Johnny D's delivered. This restaurant and club closed more recently, in 2016, but it is definitely missed.

9. Dini's Sea Grill

Flickr/Boston Public Library
Dini's was in business from 1926 through 1990 and this Tremont Street restaurant was renowned for its lobster and schrod. It offered fresh seafood and good value - although the average taxpayer was probably still taken aback to learn that Massachusetts governor Edward King spent $1,200 on Dini's lobster and crab salad sandwiches delivered to his office!

10. Aku Aku

Flickr/Dan4th Nicholas
This restaurant dished up Polynesian food between 1961 and 2000. A tiki bar with stand-up comedy and an award-winning pupu platter? What a delicious combination.

11. C. Crawford Hollidge

Flickr/Boston Public Library
In 1920, this shop started out as a humble dry goods store, but within a decade, it had changed direction to focus on women's clothing. The enterprise expanded to include four stores located in Boston (on Tremont Street), Hyannis, Cohasset, and Wellesley. C. Crawford Hollidge remained in business until a major fire in 1967 decimated the flagship building in Boston. The store transferred to a new location but closed again - for good - in 1969.

12. R.H. Stearns

Flickr/Boston Landmarks & Archeology
R.H. Stearns and C. Crawford Hollidge were in direct competition, as the former was located on Tremont Street, across from the Park Street subway station. This department store was established in the 1840s but moved to Tremont Street in 1910. The store concentrated on classic goods and, in the 1970s, several other branches opened throughout Greater Boston. However, the flagship location in Boston closed for good in 1978.

How many of these do you personally remember? Are there any other now-defunct companies or restaurants that fill you with nostalgia? What old Boston department stores do you miss the most? Let us know in the comments. Find yourself in Boston with nothing to do? Check out all the goings-on with our friends at StubHub.

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More to Explore

Old Boston Department Stores

Tori Jane | March 15, 2024

What are some old Boston department stores that no longer exist?  

Every city has its history – including stores and shops that once were that are now no longer. Interestingly, there are a lot of these businesses – so many that we can’t name them all in a short paragraph or list. However, there are a few old Boston department stores that no longer exist, including gems like: 

  • Jordan Marsh – Founded way back in 1841, this was the first real department store to pop up in the Boston area. It closed its last location in the late 1990s, and we still miss it sometimes.  
  • Filene’s - This old department store might be one of our most famous. Open from 1881 to 2006, it’s forever a memory in our hearts now. Oh, the nostalgia!  
  • Bradlees – These department stores could be found all over the east coast once upon a time; nowadays, not so much, as it closed its doors in 2001.  

Learn more about some awesome stores from the 80s in Massachusetts that are long gone now.   

 

What are some famous Boston restaurants that have closed?  

Speaking of places that closed, this list doesn’t begin (or end) with just department stores; there are plenty of famous Boston restaurants that have closed in recent years that most of us still remember. Some of these old favorite restaurants in Beantown are ones including:  

  • The Hill Top Steakhouse – This delicious nosh spot opened in 1961 and closed in 2013, after decades of serving up excellent steak dinners to hungry patrons.  
  • Anthony’s Pier 4 – This seafood joint was once thought to be a landmark, and now it’s a memory.  
  • Max Brenner – This ice cream shop was a fan favorite back in the day, but it, too, has fallen to the annals of history.  

Interested in places long closed? Check out this list of the coolest abandoned places in Boston.  

 

Where are some of the best places to eat in Boston today? 

Enough dwelling on the past! Currently, there are so many amazing places to eat in Boston that it’s easy to forget the long-gone spots of the past and embrace the now. So, without further ado, some of the greatest places to eat in Boston at the time of this writing are:  

  • The Boston Burger Company – This place serves up GIGANTIC burgers stacked up high with meat and toppings. SO good.  
  • The Salty Pig – Meat lovers beware: this one might keep you all day. It’s that good.  

Check out some of our favorite unique restaurants in Boston! 

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