THE WEEK AHEAD
Travis Scott is coming to Seaport.

MONDAY 1/8:

• Betty the Yeti Cocktail Crawl

  • December 1st - February 29th

• Donate your coat at Todd Snyder for $100 off

  • December 18th - January 31st

TUESDAY 1/9:

• BFD Tuesdays ($7 tickets) at Alamo Drafthouse

  • 11am - 11pm

• Curling at Snowport

  • 3pm - 8pm

WEDNESDAY 1/10:

• New England Boat Show at the Boston Convention Center

  • January 10th - 14th

• Workout Wednesdays at Tonal

  • 3pm - 7pm

THURSDAY 1/11:

• Free entry at ICA

  • 5pm - 9pm

FRIDAY 1/12:

• Travis Scott performs at The Grand

  • 9:30pm - 1am

TSJ DEEPDIVE
Barbara Lynch and Menton are leaving Fort Point.

Renowned Boston restaurateur Barbara Lynch recently announced a huge restructuring plan for her Boston restaurants: she will be closing Menton, Sportello, and Drink and selling The Butcher Shop and Stir.

The move comes after Lynch faced allegations last year of fostering a toxic workplace, and her restaurant group, the Barbara Lynch Collective, faced legal action from former employees who claimed that tips were unlawfully diverted away from the staff.

The allegations, including intoxication at work and inappropriate behavior, were reported by The Boston Globe last year. This past summer, The Butcher Shop closed temporarily, and Lynch cited redeployment of staff during a "summer break." The denial of a full liquor license and challenges in adapting to local trends further impacted the restaurant's operations.

The Butcher Shop and Stir, both in the South End, are slated to be sold to two former employees of Lynch, while No. 9 Park on Beacon Hill, B&G Oysters in the South End, and The Rudder in Gloucester will continue operations. Lynch explained in a statement to the Globe that any expansion efforts would be focused on the North Shore, citing the increasingly tough rental environment in Boston.

In fact, Lynch singled out Acadia Realty Trust, a New York-based REIT and the landlord of the closing Fort Point restaurants, for criticism. The closures will result in 100 staff members losing their jobs, with the group attributing the decision to unyielding high rents despite various operational challenges at the Fort Point locations.

According to the statement, Lynch’s three Fort Point restaurants paid a total $88,000 in monthly rent to since 2018, despite malfunctioning air conditioning, water supply problems, and damage from burst pipes and flooding.

Chief Operations Officer Lorraine Tomlinson-Hall accused Acadia of prioritizing higher rents over retaining long-term tenants and jobs. Tomlinson-Hall, brought in as a "turnaround specialist" at the Barbara Lynch Collective last fall, attempted to improve the group’s financials but the rents ultimately forced her hand. Despite the recent challenges, Lynch, a South Boston native, has been celebrated for her resilience and success in the culinary world.

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