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Blanchard's, decades-old Allston liquor store, confirms it will close

Blanchard's, decades-old Allston liquor store, confirms it will close

Money Moves Boston, MA local

Blanchard's has closed, and TESO Life, an Asian lifestyle retailer, is taking over its Harvard Avenue corner.

6 days ago: TESO Life named as Blanchard's replacement

Overview

Updated 5 days ago

Blanchard's has closed its corner at Harvard and Brighton avenues after decades in Allston. TESO Life, a retailer of Asian lifestyle and retail products, is taking over the space, Boston.com reported on Nov. 5.

The turnover is one of several since Alpha Management Corp bought the Gordon building in June and raised rents, tripling some. Chains and franchisees are filling the gaps, and neighborhood leaders say Allston's youth-driven character is slipping.

Why it matters

Harvard Avenue is losing the independent businesses that define Allston, as a new landlord's rent hikes push out decades-old tenants.

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Key Indicators

3x
Rent increase reported for some Gordon building tenants
Alpha Management tripled some rents after buying the building in June.
$40–60
Annual retail rent per square foot on Harvard Avenue
Average range cited by Alpha's attorney; rivals Boston's busiest streets.
~40
Storefronts Alpha Management controls on Harvard Avenue
Roughly two dozen from the Gordon purchase plus about 20 already owned.

Voices

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People Involved

CC
Chris Corey
Owner, Blanchard's Liquors
Has not commented publicly
 Bob Allen
Bob Allen
Attorney and spokesperson, Alpha Management Corp
Spokesperson for the landlord
SM
Scott Matalon
President, Allston Village Main Streets
Warning of neighborhood change
 Ben Franco
Ben Franco
President, Allston/Brighton Chamber of Commerce
Calls for landlord transparency
 Jordan Warshaw
Jordan Warshaw
Real estate developer, Great Scott revival partner
Developer with stalled Allston projects

Organizations Involved

Alpha Management Corp
Alpha Management Corp
Property management company
New owner of the Gordon building

Landlord that bought the Gordon building and raised rents, displacing longtime tenants.
Blanchard's Liquors
Blanchard's Liquors
Independent liquor store
Closed; TESO Life reported as taking over the space

Decades-old package store at Harvard and Brighton avenues that closed in fall 2026.
Allston Village Main Streets
Allston Village Main Streets
Community business organization
Tracking the commercial transition

Local business and community group representing Allston's commercial district.
LI
TESO Life
Retailer
Taking over former Blanchard's space

Retailer specializing in Asian lifestyle and retail products.

Timeline

June 2026 November 2026

6 events Latest: 6 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. TESO Life named as Blanchard's replacement

    Latest Retail

    Boston.com reported that TESO Life, a retailer of Asian lifestyle and retail products, is taking over the former Blanchard's space at Harvard and Brighton avenues.

  2. Blanchard's closure confirmed

    Confirmation

    A Blanchard's employee tells Boston.com the store will close in mid-to-late October.

  3. More Allston businesses exit

    Closure

    Regeneration Tattoo closes; The Pet Shop sells stock and prepares to move out of the Gordon building.

  4. Blanchard's closure email leaks online

    Disclosure

    Owner Chris Corey's email announcing the store's closure is shared online; the post is later deleted.

  5. Alpha Management buys Gordon building

    Real Estate

    New landlord acquires the Gordon building on Harvard Avenue, adding two dozen storefronts to its holdings.

  6. Rents rise for Gordon building tenants

    Real Estate

    Alpha Management raises rents, tripling some for longtime tenants in the building.

Scenarios

1

Blanchard's closes for good in October

Likely Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: Boston.com reporting; employee confirmation

The store closed in mid-to-late October. Boston.com reported on Nov. 5 that TESO Life, a retailer of Asian lifestyle and retail products, is taking over the corner at Harvard and Brighton avenues.

2

Blanchard's stays open under a new operator

Unlikely Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: Local speculation; owner has not commented

Chris Corey sells the business or the liquor license rather than shut down. A new operator keeps the store open under different ownership. This would require a deal to close within weeks, making it a long shot.

3

More Gordon tenants leave, chains move in

Likely Resolves by Mar 1, 2027

Discussed by: Ben Franco, Scott Matalon, Boston Globe

Rent increases drive additional longtime tenants out of the Gordon building. New storefronts open as chains, franchises, or well-funded Asian brands that can pay higher rents, accelerating the neighborhood's commercial shift.

Historical Context

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

October 2020

Great Scott closes (2020)

Allston's legendary music venue at 1222 Commonwealth Avenue shut its doors in October 2020, a pandemic-era loss compounded by the landlord declining to renew the lease. Plans to revive it have since stalled because of construction costs. The building is now a Taco Bell.

Then

Allston lost its most famous live-music space, a gathering point for the neighborhood's youth scene.

Now

Revival efforts remain stalled, symbolizing how difficult it is for cultural anchors to return once displaced.

Why this matters now

Same neighborhood, same mechanism: a cultural anchor priced out of its building, with no local replacement.

2000–2019

Davis Square gentrification (2000s–2010s)

Once a gritty, independent commercial hub in Somerville anchored by a punk scene and record stores, Davis Square drew rising rents as the Red Line brought development. By the late 2010s, chains and upscale bars had replaced many of the independents.

Then

Local institutions shut down as leases came due at higher rates.

Now

The neighborhood became a template for transit-adjacent gentrification in the Boston area.

Why this matters now

A Boston-area preview of Harvard Avenue's trajectory: rising property values pushing out independents in favor of tenants with deeper pockets.

Sources

(3)
+1
Boston.com The Boston Globe Boston.com