After serving the West End for more than two decades, the family-run grocery store, J. Pace & Son, closed its 75 Blossom Court location on July 31.
“After many years at 75 Blossom Court, the Pace family has closed this location to strategically realign and focus its resources on new and upcoming concepts,” Cara Costa-Pace, president and CEO of Pace Holdings, said in a statement. “We would like to personally thank our neighbors and customers and will miss you all.”
Rep. Jay Livingstone lamented the loss of what he described as a “beloved institution” in the West End.
“I’m saddened that J. Pace is being evicted because it is struggling financially and know what a beloved institution that it’s been for the neighborhood,” wrote Rep. Livingstone.
Likewise, City Councilor Kenzie Bok was similarly dismayed by the loss of the longstanding neighborhood business.
“I am very disappointed to see J. Pace’s close after so many years in the West End community,” wrote Councilor Bok. “I tried earlier this month to see if a new arrangement could be reached with the landlord, without success. I will continue to push for community retail at this location, which serves as an important meeting place and convenience for the whole neighborhood.”
The landlord, The Davis Companies of Boston, couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.
J. Pace & Son had occupied the bottom level of 75 Blossom Court since late 1999, while Mass General Hospital continues to rent the upper level of the building from The Davis Companies.
Rep. Livingstone and Councilor Bok helped successfully negotiate the creation of a future community center to be located on the upper level of 75 Blossom Court as part of the mitigation for Mass General’s planned $2 billion expansion of its Cambridge Street campus.
“I’ve had no conversations with MGH about it acquiring the rights to the space where J. Pace [was] and making that a community center,” wrote Rep. Livingstone. “MGH can only commit to what it owns, and it does not own the building or control at all the space that J. Pace rented.”
J. Pace & Son continues to operate two other stores in the Seaport and in Saugus, respectively. Its original store at 42 Cross St. in the North End closed in 2014, after more than 40 years in business at that location.