Restaurants

BOSTON MARKET CLOSES STERLING LOCATION

The longtime tenant is the second restaurant to close in recent months.

Boston Market

It’s been a tough run for the Cascades Marketplace shopping center in Sterling. It was just in late May that the longtime tenant Corner Bakery Cafe closed up shop. (See story here.) Now comes word that its neighbor next door — the Boston Market restaurant — has closed as well.

A sign on the door says: “It has been a privilege and honor to serve you. Unfortunately, this Boston Market restaurant has closed.” It goes on to direct customers to other area locations in Fairfax.

The Boston Market is the latest in a string of restaurant closures in the shopping center. Besides the Corner Bakery, Baja Fresh, BGR and Famous Dave’s all closed in the past few years. The BGR location was recently filled by The Pit Stop barbecue restaurant.

The center is still anchored by a Giant supermarket, a Home Depot and a Gold’s Gym, but besides the many restaurant spaces available, there is also an empty 24,000 s.f. where the Staples office supply store used to be. It closed more than a year ago.

(Image at top: Boston Market)

(Thanks to reader David Jackino for the news tip.)

8 Comments
  1. Terri Wujick 5 years ago

    Over the years, a few restaurants have closed at the Cascades Marketplace including Ted’s Montana Grill. The problem with this location is it isn’t seen from Rte 7; not enough offices and businesses to support a lunch base; the owners of the shopping center do not display seasonal decorations like other shopping centers do (seasonal banners attached to light poles; wreaths on buildings during Christmas holiday); shopping center sponsored community activities or variety of stores/merchants to draw people outside of the Cascades/Countryside neighborhoods. Over the years the shopping center lost the pet store (space still vacant after 6 yrs or more); Baja Fresh, BGR burgers; Famous Dave’s (space still vacant after 5 or more years); Staples; Sports Authority (space still vacant except for Halloween costumes in Oct); Corner Bakery, now Boston Market.

    • Rob Blackstone 5 years ago

      I get the impression that the management of that shopping center is incredibly cheap.

      A few years back a massive pothole opened up in the brick crosswalk by the side of Home Depot. All they did was put a metal plate over it. It sat that way for almost a year before they finally fixed it.

    • Sokushi Jones 5 years ago

      Actually Sky Zone is where Sports Authority was: https://www.skyzone.com/sterling

  2. jason speicher 5 years ago

    curious if the owner of the spaces is letting leases lapse to make way to selling off some of the area for something new?

  3. Rob Blackstone 5 years ago

    Its a poorly designed shopping center, too many stores/restaurants not visible from the road. With the Staples, Sports Authority, and Famous Dave’s all going under that entire half of the center is a ghost town. There were some rumblings on a local FB group that the owners are considering re-developing it to add housing, similar to Cascades Overlook on the other side of Rte 7. But its a FB rumor so take that with a grain of salt.

  4. Sterling Native 5 years ago

    Not surprised about Boston Market. The manager was really rude the last time we were in there.

    I really love that shopping center and I feel like it is such a wasted opportunity. The owners just don’t even try anymore, and haven’t for 5+ years. It’s likely going to close and be redeveloped into housing.

  5. Anonymous 5 years ago

    I would also call Marshall’s an anchor store in addition to Giant, HD and GG. Question though: How on earth does Capt Mas stay in business? I keep thinking its a money laundering site LOL – there are never any cars/customers in that place and I go by it often, sometimes multiple times a day; that bar across the street on the corner is closed as well along with whatever was right next to the bar; as for Sports Authority, that place closed because the entire chain went under; it wasn’t an because that one particular store failed; they all failed. Additionally, the GNC and the cleaners next to the giant are out of business as well. Business that “appear” to do well are Don’s [My family loves that place], Senor Tequila’s, SBUX, even China King. I too wonder if the leases are being forced to expire either thru outrageous rent or flat out non-renwal in order to redevelop the plaza? I guess we will find out over time.

  6. WisdomGuidedByExperience 5 years ago

    Does anybody remember before the shopping center was built when we were promised that an elegant farmer’s market (fancy covered stalls, etc.) would be where the Home Depot is now located?

    I remember the nice “artist’s rendition” picture of how it was going to look. I suspect that was a ruse to get zoning approval back then.

    As for the future, whatever the owner has in mind for some future redevelopment will include pictures/drawings full of all kinds of similar promises.

    Fool me once: shame on you. Fool me twice: shame on me.

Comments are closed.