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Kappy's buys West Roxbury Blanchard's, keeps the manager

Kappy's buys West Roxbury Blanchard's, keeps the manager

Money Moves Boston, MA local

Allston flagship is closing; four other locations' futures are uncertain

Today: Licensing Board approves West Roxbury sale to Kappy's

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Blanchard's, a Boston liquor name since 1838, is contracting. On Thursday the Boston Licensing Board approved selling the West Roxbury store to rival chain Kappy's: same manager, same operations, new sign.

The Allston flagship is closing too, and four other locations could follow. At stake is an 188-year-old family business squeezed by chains like Kappy's and big-box stores like Total Wine.

Why it matters

Blanchard's, a Boston name since 1838, is shrinking. Its decline shows big-box and chain stores squeezing out family-run liquor retailers.

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Key Indicators

6 → 4
Blanchard's locations before and after
The chain drops from six stores to four as West Roxbury becomes Kappy's and the Allston flagship closes.
188
Years Blanchard's has traded as a Boston name
Founded in 1838 in Scollay Square; the name may soon disappear entirely.
9
Kappy's stores, at the Massachusetts ownership ceiling
The Kappy's group owns nine stores, the maximum allowed by state law.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

1838 September 2026

7 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Allston closure goes public; sale hearing held

    Announcement

    Signs reading "Fall 2026, Store Closing" go up at the Allston store. The Licensing Board hears the West Roxbury sale request the same day.

  2. Corey tells staff of Allston closure

    Announcement

    Owner Chris Corey emails staff that the Allston store will close later in the year, citing the family's 1954 roots there.

  3. Pignone joins West Roxbury store

    Hiring

    Michael Pignone begins working for the Elder and Corey family, later becoming manager.

  4. Allston flagship opens

    Expansion

    The 8,000-square-foot Harvard Avenue store becomes the chain's flagship location.

  5. John Corey buys Blanchard's

    Ownership change

    Corey purchases the company and begins expanding a single retail location into a chain.

  6. Blanchard's founded in Scollay Square

    Founding

    The liquor store opens in what is now Downtown Boston, where City Hall stands today.

Scenarios

1

Core Four Survive as Blanchard's

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The Corey family's framing of the Allston closure as a difficult but isolated decision, reported by Boston.com

The Brockton, Jamaica Plain, Marshfield, and Revere stores keep operating as Blanchard's. The family holds on to the locations that can still compete, treating the Allston closure and West Roxbury sale as a consolidation rather than a full exit. The brand survives in reduced form.

2

Another Location Closes or Changes Hands

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Boston.com's reporting that the future of the other four locations is unclear

The decline continues. At least one more of the four remaining stores closes or is sold to a new operator, following Allston and West Roxbury. Kappy's could acquire more, or another chain could step in, further eroding the Blanchard's name.

3

Blanchard's Brand Disappears Entirely

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The pattern of the Allston closure and West Roxbury sale, noted by Universal Hub and Boston.com

Within a year, no store operates under the Blanchard's name. All remaining locations either close, convert to Kappy's, or are sold to other operators. The 188-year-old name exits Boston retail entirely, joining Jordan Marsh and other lost local brands.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1996

Jordan Marsh becomes Macy's (1996)

Jordan Marsh, the Boston department store founded in 1851, was converted to Macy's after Federated Department Stores merged with its parent. The Jordan Marsh name, familiar to generations of shoppers, disappeared from Downtown Crossing.

Then

Shoppers saw Macy's signs go up; some resisted, but the change stuck.

Now

The Jordan Marsh name now exists only in memories and a few historic references. Boston's retail identity shifted toward national chains.

Why this matters now

Like Blanchard's, Jordan Marsh was a family-founded Boston institution absorbed by a larger chain. The loss of the name erases a piece of local identity.

2021-2026

Great Scott and Twin Donuts close (2021-2026)

The Allston music venue Great Scott and the 24-hour Twin Donuts shop closed, part of a wave of longtime Harvard Avenue businesses shutting down.

Then

The neighborhood lost two institutions within a few years.

Now

Rising rents and shifting commercial patterns have reshaped Allston's retail corridor.

Why this matters now

Blanchard's Allston flagship is closing in the same neighborhood, extending the pattern of Allston losing its longtime businesses.

2010s

Total Wine enters Massachusetts (2010s)

The Maryland-based big-box liquor chain opened Massachusetts stores. State law forces each store to buy independently, limiting Total Wine's bulk advantage, but its scale and selection still drew customers from independent retailers.

Then

Independent liquor stores reported losing customers to Total Wine's prices and variety.

Now

Massachusetts raised the store ownership limit from three to nine, letting chains like Kappy's grow. The number of independent, family-run liquor stores declined.

Why this matters now

Blanchard's decline reflects this broader squeeze. Kappy's nine-store structure and wholesale arm helped it weather the competition that weakened Blanchard's.

Sources

(3)

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