Faneuil Hall needs ‘a shot of adrenaline,’ its businesses say – and they want to be part of the plan

Rain fell over Faneuil Hall on a recent weekday morning in April as a few tour groups passed through in ponchos, and families stopped into Quincy Market for an early lunch.

Vacant storefronts ringed the marketplace. Inside, the shuttered Mija Cantina & Tequila Bar sat dark, and the long-empty Cheers was dormant.

For workers like Daisha Beatty of Mansfield, who staffs the Wash Naturals pushcart, the quiet sends an uneasy signal to visitors. “I don’t know what it is,” she said, searching for the cause of so many closures.

What greets guests inside isn’t helping: aging trash cans, outdated bathrooms, worn stalls, and cracks in the brick floor. The people who do show up, vendors say, are often former locals visiting from out of town or friends guiding tourists along the Freedom Trail.

Mahlon Williams, owner of I Love Boston Sports, an apparel store, put it bluntly: the only visitors are those who “feel obligated to do so.” 

Faneuil Hall, he said, “needs a shot of adrenaline.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu agrees. In late March, she convened a two-day workshop with city officials, outside experts, and Harvard professors to reimagine what Faneuil Hall could be. 

“For too many locals, Faneuil Hall Marketplace has become nothing more than a place they occasionally take out-of-town visitors,” Wu said.

“I would normally say that it can feel a little bit like walking through an airport or mall, but I’ve been at Logan Airport and seen that they now have the Boston Public Market, actually featuring all those local things at our airport,” she added. “And so even our airport, Logan Airport, has done a fantastic job of making sure that connection to the city is vibrant and growing.”

Faneuil Hall, not so much.

Marketplace revival  

The marketplace’s revival, the mayor said, would echo its transformation in 1976, when Boston rescued the old, dilapidated fish market and reopened it as a festival marketplace to national acclaim. 

As the marketplace reaches its 50th year in operation, many of the then-brand-new structures that once welcomed locals feel outdated, and retailers are struggling to attract people years after the pandemic. 

While tourism has mostly rebounded elsewhere in the city — most notably in the Seaport and Back Bay — Boston’s Chief of Planning Kairo Shen said Fanueil Hall is an anomaly. 

While the number of visitors is back to its pre-pandemic level, he said, they are spending 30% less than before. 

“We need to tap into the same spirit of the 1970s,” Wu said. “No longer a vacant and decrepit and crumbling location here, but one that still has so much potential and possibility.”

However, it is still unclear what will come next for the marketplace. The city did not respond to a request for additional information as to what came out of the convening in March. 

While the Boston Planning and Development Agency owns the land and buildings, J. Safra Real Estate began managing the site in 2024. J. Safra did not present their thoughts at the mayor’s meeting and, in a statement to Boston.com, said, “There isn’t much to share right now.”

Small businesses remain hopeful

One group felt noticeably left out of the conversation — the very small businesses that, for decades, have made up the marketplace. 

“We’re hopeful that the mayor will move forward with these plans,” said Susan Luongo, the owner of Happy Hang Ups and Boston Kids pushcarts at Faneuil Hall. But, “We also need a seat at the table.”

Luongo said the city needs to host more events and run more marketing to drive people to Faneuil Hall. 

“We want this place to be fun and inviting,” Luongo said. “It’s sad to look around and see a lot of empty spaces.” 

And Williams of I Love Boston Sports agrees. 

By not having the businesses as part of the conversation, Williams said it feels like the city is pushing them out, even though they struggled through the ebbs and flows to keep the place alive. 

“Faneuil Hall being a historic place, the city really should embrace it and make it something the city can be proud of again,” Williams said. 

Luke Prevost, who has worked at the Salty Dog for 37 years and owned it for the last two decades, said in an email to Boston.com that he has seen “enormous changes” in the marketplace with “some changes better than others.” Even so, the “excitement and energy” always persisted. 

After hearing Mayor Wu’s initiatives, he wrote, “This Marketplace began the great re-emergence of Boston as a first-class city. I believe given the right initiatives, we will do that again.”

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.