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Cha Feo drops off Boston's active food license list

Cha Feo drops off Boston's active food license list

Money Moves Boston, MA local

The bubble tea shop relocated to 130 Tremont St last year; the city's list no longer shows it

Today: License absent from two consecutive readings

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Cha Feo, the bubble tea shop that moved from Newbury Street to a small storefront across from Boston Common in 2025, is no longer on Boston's list of active food establishment licenses. The license was present on the list as of October 24, 2026, but missing from the two readings taken since.

A license can lapse for reasons other than closing — a pending renewal, a transfer, or a filing delay — so this is an indication, not a confirmation. If the shop has shut, it ends a second run that began barely a year ago, after the original Newbury Street location closed quietly.

Why it matters

A relocated small business may have closed within a year of reopening — a reminder that a new address alone doesn't guarantee survival.

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Key Indicators

2
Consecutive readings without the license
Checked twice since October 24, 2026; absent both times.
493
Days between license issue and drop-off
License dated June 18, 2025; missing by October 26, 2026.
16
Seats in the new café
Planned seating at 130 Tremont St, per the licensing notice.

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People Involved

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Timeline

2024 October 2026

4 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. License absent from two consecutive readings

    Today Licensing

    The shop no longer appears on the active list, twice in a row.

  2. License last seen on active list

    Licensing

    The city's list still shows Cha Feo's license as active.

  3. License issued for 130 Tremont St

    Licensing

    Boston records a food establishment license for Cha Feo at the new address.

  4. Original Newbury Street location closes

    Closure

    Cha Feo quietly shuts its shop at 248 Newbury St.

Scenarios

1

Cha Feo confirms it has closed for good

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: What Now Boston and Hidden Boston track such closures

The owner announces the shop is closed, or the 130 Tremont storefront is listed for lease and a news report confirms the space is vacant. The license would stay off the active list.

2

Cha Feo's license lapse is temporary

Unlikely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Boston's licensing records leave room for renewal or appeal

The license returns to the active list as a renewal or transfer is processed, and the shop reopens at 130 Tremont. The two consecutive missing readings make this less likely.

Historical Context

One moment from history that rhymes with this story — and how it unfolded.

January 2019

Durgin-Park closes (2019)

Durgin-Park, a Boston restaurant serving New England fare since 1827, closed in January 2019 after its owners sold the building and the lease ended. The Faneuil Hall landmark had operated for nearly two centuries.

Then

The closure ended a 192-year run and left a prominent Faneuil Hall storefront empty.

Now

It became a fixture of Boston restaurant history, showing how even iconic spots can end when ownership and leases change.

Why this matters now

Both are Boston restaurant closures, but the scale differs sharply: Durgin-Park lasted nearly 200 years, while Cha Feo's second run may have lasted about a year.

Sources

(3)