The Tragedy of Durgin Park -- and an Increasingly Uncertain Future
Rick Vanzura
CEO/Board Member/Advisor/Business Builder/Pragmatic Health and Climate Advocate/Speaker
Last week, the iconic Durgin Park announced it's closing its doors after nearly 200 years. All that will be left are memories: road trips with friends to soak in the salty wait staff, the cheat meal after the Boston Marathon, the occasional guilty pleasure. Sad, and more to come. We can be careful what we ask for.....
The owners of Durgin Park blame the closure on a combination of declining customers and rising costs. The development of the Seaport has certainly increased competition. That comes along with an increase in the minimum wage. Of course, the astronomical rents at Faneuil Hall don't help either. It's never been a great time to make money in the restaurant business. It will get worse.
I understand why developer Ashkenazy charges the rents they do: they paid an astronomical price for the property, and they are paying astronomical sums for redevelopment. However, the world's 13th most-visited attraction got that way by offering unique Boston flavor. Closing Durgin Park doesn't help that proposition. How many more unique, independent Boston establishments will find it impossible to operate under the cost environment of Faneuil Hall and, to some extent, the city in general? Then what happens to Faneuil Hall? If it becomes a sea of nationals because those are the only operators that can afford it, let's see what happens to that travel ranking.
This is happening during the economic best-of-times. The picture will get much worse when the inevitable recession comes. Rents and wages can't continue to rise without catastrophic results for the restaurant industry or a fundamental shift in how restaurants operate -- primarily involving much less labor and/or higher prices. Or far fewer restaurants. Is that what we want?
You can read more about the Durgin Park closing in the article below. How will this all play out? Visit Faneuil Hall in 10 years. You'll have your answer.
antiques dealer
3 天前i went to durgin park at haymarket square many times while i was at school from 1965 to 1967. it was famous for its prime rib which was priced at $3.95 with veggie and potato sides in 1965. it was about 2 inches thick and bone in and stuck over the end of a large oval plate. the second floor had long tables on sawdust floors that sat about 12 or 14 guests. the waitress' were known to be tough and let you know that. they would be at the end of the table and slide the sides on small round bowls sometimes the length of the table. it was a terrific restaurant.
Chief Marketing Adviser | Driving Profitable Sales thru Strategically Targeted Customer Engagement | Outside Director
5 年I was introduced to Durgin Park as a Boston staple on my first visit to Boston years ago, so its demise is definitely a heart breaker. And any restaurant trying to survive "95% costs" is in an impossible situation, especially in these days of the on- demand economy. There's no easy answer except that changing or increasing wages and other costs are part of any business environment, and today's younger consumer does not seem to be particular interested in the "older" options.?