Harvard Avenue in Allston: New Businesses and Closings in Fall 2026

Four Harvard Avenue businesses with more than 170 years on the street between them have closed, moved or announced closings between late July and October. Two separate decisions at two addresses explain most of it. Over the same months, the blocks around the Harvard and Brighton avenue intersection have added a 20,000-square-foot food hall and a run of restaurants, cafes and vintage shops. Nearly every arrival sells something to eat, drink or wear secondhand. These are the facts as reported through early October 2026.

One building sale, three exits

Three of the four trace back to one transaction. Land records cited by Boston.com show that Alpha Management, owned by Anwar Faisal, bought the commercial building at 149-175 Harvard Ave for $12.25 million on June 23. Within weeks, The Pet Shop, Ritual Arts and Regeneration Tattoo had all announced they were closing or planning to move. The new owners were asking for higher rents. In July, Boston.com reported that it was still unclear what would happen to the dozen or so other businesses in the building. Alpha told the outlet it planned renovations and, over time, new businesses. No report so far says what will go into any specific vacated suite.

The Pet Shop has the longest history of the three. Jim Gentile bought it from the local chain Big Fish Little Fish in 1976, when it was at 134 Harvard Ave. He moved it to 165 Harvard Ave in 1991, and in July he described himself as being in his 52nd year on the street. He told Allstonia he wanted to stay in Allston, but the search was "not panning out well," and he was looking north toward Malden or Medford. His July profile pointed to an August 31 closing. Allstonia's later update set the date at September 30, and that is the one that held.

Toni Fanning has run Ritual Arts, a spiritual gift shop, in the building for 33 years. She hopes to find a new location soon. "The biggest loss is the loss of the neighbors," she told Boston.com. Danny Kingphilavanh opened Regeneration Tattoo in 2004, and Boston.com called it the last tattoo shop on Harvard Ave. He is unsure whether he will reopen elsewhere. Allstonia reported that the shop's 155 Harvard Avenue location would close after July 26.

Ben Franco, president of the Allston-Brighton Chamber of Commerce, called this stretch "the heartbeat of Allston" and said losing three anchor stores "has the potential to change the fabric of not only that street but Allston."

Blanchard's is a separate story with the same timing

Blanchard's sits a few blocks down at 103 Harvard Ave, outside the building that changed hands, and its closing has different causes. Boston.com reported on September 23 that the 8,000-square-foot store had put up signs reading "Fall 2026, Store Closing, All Inventory Discounted." The paper said the closing follows years of declining sales and recent departures from management. Owner Chris Corey called it "the difficult decision to permanently close our store" in an email to staff. He wrote that the business "has been a part of my family since 1954."

The company's history runs much longer than the Allston store. Blanchard's dates itself to 1838 and a first store in Scollay Square, on the site where City Hall stands now. John Corey bought the company in 1938, and the family, now in its third generation, runs the six remaining stores. The Allston location is the flagship. No final day has been announced. As of Allstonia's September 27 report, the expected window was mid-to-late October.

Nobody has said what happens to the neon sign or whether another operator will take over the Allston store. The other locations give one data point. At a Boston Licensing Board hearing, Kappy's Liquor and Fine Wine asked to take over the Blanchard's at 418 Lagrange St. in West Roxbury, keeping it a liquor store with the same manager. There is no word yet on the Brockton, Jamaica Plain, Marshfield and Revere stores.

What opened since May, and what it sells

The new arrivals are concentrated on Brighton Avenue and the blocks just off Harvard. The order they opened in shows how much of it is food:

1. Novo Marketplace, 122 Brighton Ave. The Globe reported that this Asian-focused food hall began operating in May. It held its grand opening on September 12 with all 16 vendors open.
2. Vivant Vintage, 151 Harvard Ave. It reopened in Allston Village on June 27 after moving from Lower Allston.
3. Saloniki Greek, 180 Brighton Ave. It opened July 8, a week after its Brighton shop at 1936 Beacon St.
4. Fuda Sushi Seafood Buffet, 128 Brighton Ave. This all-you-can-eat spot opened July 27, a short walk down Brighton Avenue from Novo.
5. Kokoro Everyday Japanese Cafe, 6 Tremont St. It opened the same day as Fuda, serving donburi, udon and other Japanese comfort food.
6. Boston Goods Clothing Co., 318 Lincoln St. This vintage shop opened around the start of August and has a buy-by-the-pound section.

None of the arrivals replaces what is leaving. There is no new pet supply store, liquor store, tattoo studio or spiritual gift shop on that list. The retail that is opening is secondhand clothing, and almost everything else is food.

Not every opening has lasted. Boston Restaurant Talk reported on October 2 that the Boston Landing branch of Mochiko Hawaiian had closed after only a few months.

Novo is designed for people to stay

Novo is the biggest single change to the corridor this year, and its owners pitch it as a place to spend time. The Globe described a 20,000-square-foot room with seating for more than 250 people. Dishes are made to order: customers get a buzzer and wander while they wait. Co-owner Winson Chen told the paper that people are welcome to stay without buying anything. "We are building more of a community," he said. "We have board games, free WiFi, places to sit and hang out, and a stage for events."

The vendors mix small local operators with large international franchises, according to the Globe. Novo's own directory currently names Cotti Coffee, Zhengxin Chicken, Lumi Roll and Bowl, Molly Tea, Fluffy Fluffy, Blendy, Mi Nori Handroll, Baby Cafe Kitchen, Park's Kitchen, Tabla, Hangover and Tasya's Kitchen. That is 12 names, against the 16 vendors reported at the grand opening. The Globe also noted that 88 Food Connection, a longer-running Asian food court, is less than half a mile away. Published opening times differ. Novo's blog says 10:30 a.m. and the Globe's guide says 10 a.m., with both listing a 10 p.m. close.

Announced for Harvard Ave but not confirmed open

Three more Harvard Avenue arrivals have been announced. None was confirmed open as of early October:

• Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, 178 Harvard Ave. MassLive reported on October 2 that both the Allston and Quincy branches of the soft-serve and tea chain were listed as "coming soon," with no date.
• Cheongsu, 144 Harvard Ave. WhatNow reported in July that this Seoul-based Korean dessert cafe had construction underway and planned to open in late August or early September. Its contact page now lists daily hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., but no opening announcement has been found.
• Memory Shop, 160 Harvard Ave. This photo-booth studio was reported for fall 2026. Its own site still describes the Allston location as an upcoming opening.

Two of the three are desserts and drinks, and the third is an experience business. Put them together with the departures and the trade on Harvard Avenue this year is clear. Shops that sold goods and services for decades are leaving, and the businesses taking their place are built around eating, drinking and spending an afternoon.

The next few weeks

Over the coming weeks, a few things will show whether this pattern holds. The first is Blanchard's final day, expected by late October, and what happens to its sign and its 8,000 square feet. The second is whether any of the dozen or so remaining tenants at 149-175 Harvard Ave announce plans of their own. The third is which of Mixue, Cheongsu and Memory Shop opens first. Anyone who has bought from Blanchard's Allston store since 1954 has until mid-to-late October to go back.

We follow storefront changes like these on Harvard Avenue because they shape what a block is like to live on, long before they show up in any sales report. If you're weighing what this year's changes on Harvard Avenue mean for a property you own near the corridor, The Equinox Group is glad to talk it through with you. Schedule a consultation.