Lord Hobo to open the ‘Taj Mahal of breweries in the Seaport’

Discussion in 'New England' started by AlcahueteJ, Oct 20, 2019.

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  1. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    https://www.boston.com/culture/beer/2019/10/19/lord-hobo-seaport-brewery

    “Construction for Two Drydock broke ground in June 2018 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020. In addition to the Seaport expansion, Lord Hobo is increasing the capacity of its Woburn taproom from 180 to 550, Lanigan said, by doubling indoor seating as well as adding a patio. The total project at Two Drydock will encompass 230,000 square feet.”


    They’re doing something right...
     
  2. Shyla987

    Shyla987 Zealot (575) Jul 18, 2013 Connecticut

    He got that private equity money. From an article this summer about "not" laying off 8 people:

    “Everything is just going amazingly well,” Lanigan said. “Terminating people is part of building a big company and growing fast and part of the business.”

    :rolling_eyes:
     
  3. egrandfield

    egrandfield Initiate (0) Mar 19, 2018 Massachusetts

    This guy is aggressive. I'm definitely going to go see this place when it opens, but I think I'll prefer the old beer bar in Cambridge. Can't blame the guy for living the American dream, but I'm a little skeptical of drinking a beer called "Steal This Can" in a super boujee building.
     
  4. egrandfield

    egrandfield Initiate (0) Mar 19, 2018 Massachusetts

    That said, if someone offered me PE money to go open up a mansion for beer in Seaport, I'd be down hook, line, and sinker.
     
  5. j44thor

    j44thor Initiate (0) Feb 24, 2010 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Sounds like an extremely expensive project for a location that currently has almost zero foot traffic. Are people really going to walk to 2 dry dock when they could get better beer in a more convenient location at Trillium and similar beer at Harpoon brewery?

    They are making a big bet on that area becoming a destination area like the main seaport. As currently constituted I just don't see it.
     
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  6. BeyondDescription

    BeyondDescription Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2009 Vermont
    Trader

    If they can appeal to the mainstream or new craft beer drinker, perhaps. I've also been informed through industry folks that opening restaurants is not a great return on investment.
     
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  7. TreeHouse_Erection

    TreeHouse_Erection Initiate (0) Aug 7, 2018 Connecticut

    This is the definition of outstretching your bounds. Wish them luck but anyone investing in this is burning money. The craft beer bubble is going to hit at some point and the market has already started to level off.
     
    9percenthurdle likes this.
  8. DucRacer900

    DucRacer900 Zealot (580) Aug 13, 2013 Massachusetts
    Trader

    I don't know, Reebok and AutoDesk have their headquarters at Drydock, and generally, cruiseships, 2 at a time, dock at Drydock for 6 + months a year, so there is quite a bit of traffic there now. Pretty sure they are adding residences to one of the two buildings that he'll be in/near and the other one will be a hotel. Not sure that area will support a "Taj Mahal" but it's definitely busy.
     
  9. chipawayboy

    chipawayboy Pooh-Bah (1,977) Oct 26, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    BAers love to doubt this guy. Jealousy? can't stand the American dream? Get over it people and join in the fun
     
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  10. oldbean

    oldbean Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2005 Massachusetts

    They're doing something, anyway.
     
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  11. Newport_beerguy

    Newport_beerguy Pooh-Bah (1,836) Feb 24, 2011 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I am jealous that Lannigan can insert his foot in his mouth this many times and still develop his brewery this fast with little backlash. But I think we weigh the side stuff far too much at the BA level, whereas the vast majority of the beer drinking public isn't aware/doesn't care about what the owner says, personality, political beliefs, etc.

    Whatever assistance from PE money and growing distribution, good on him for finding their lane to grow. Since they ditched the 3-beer blend of the OG Boom Sauce, I have had it as the best draft option on various occasions and while it's average to slightly above average, it has been damn consistent.

    At this point I think Lord Hobo is an excellent BRAND that makes decent BEER.
     
  12. AirBob

    AirBob Pooh-Bah (1,718) Jul 15, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I agree with you that it seems a little premature, but Harpoon still has crazy lines on the weekends and D Street is a destination.

    Thisspace is right next to Black Falcon Pier which would being in a massive amount of foot traffic and within easy walking distance of all the convention center hotels - easier than Harpoon for the Weston and those on D Steet.

    Ifthe power plant development ever moves forward, that stretch of Summer Street is going to be as dense and busy as the rest of the Seaport. I think the success has less to do with the craft beer bubble and more to do with the health of the economy more generally driving development in the area.

    As much as I hate to say it, it seems like LH has some business sense.
     
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  13. Aaron58

    Aaron58 Zealot (607) Dec 16, 2007 Massachusetts


    Oh I think this is exactly how they do well. The number of customers I have that I would call "novice" beer drinkers, who ask for Boom Sauce by name, is very high. Im guessing it is a very popular brand in the Over 35 Demo.

    Ultimately, this brand is not for "us". Their beers are fine, and when I go to a not so great bar and see Boom Sauce on tap amongst a bunch of junk, I will happily drink it. But I doubt that I will ever purchase a LH beer for my own fridge.
     
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  14. SunDevilBeer

    SunDevilBeer Pooh-Bah (1,945) May 9, 2003 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    Well, the Seaport is garbage - worst-planned urban area amongst major cities in the country IMO - so let’s see what the 3rd large niche beer property on the scene can do.
     
  15. Newport_beerguy

    Newport_beerguy Pooh-Bah (1,836) Feb 24, 2011 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I googled "Boston Seaport Commission" and got a bar and some general Mass seaport organization for the 78 towns along the water, so yeah not much planning for this particular section of the city to keep the district cohesive.
     
  16. Jason

    Jason Founder (0) Aug 23, 1996 Massachusetts

    Glad LH is bringing more to the Boston area beer scene, unfortunately for me personally I almost never go to that area any more because parking in impossible and I refuse to pay more than meter prices for parking.
     
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  17. Jason

    Jason Founder (0) Aug 23, 1996 Massachusetts

    I think some of it comes down to things being either intercommunicated, lost in translation, or simply someone wanting to change their mind. I've told Lanigan that he or anyone form LH is more than welcome to reply to comments or lend some new info in our forums ... even before the brewery was even announced. Not being a part of the conversation lets people make up their own minds with the info that is out there good or not. With that said ... its not jealousy at all.
     
  18. matthewp

    matthewp Pundit (856) Feb 27, 2015 Massachusetts
    Trader

    The "over 35 demo"? Don't you know the under 35 crowd is killing craft beer? They are drinking less, drinking lighter drinks, and drinking more seltzer :wink: Or at least that seems to be the story they are selling.

    All kidding aside you are probably right. Its probably not just the novice beer drinker but also the craft beer drinkers who grew up on Sam Adams and Harpoon as what craft beer was. They probably scoff at Bud but might want something a bit better than Sam Adams. Lord Hobo is everywhere, somewhat less expensive than a lot of craft beer, and is pretty consistent. They consider themselves craft beer drinkers but don't really follow the industry. Too many choices probably overwhelms them and they'd consider the rest of us pretentious (and they probably aren't wrong).

    I thought they did a really good job with their tap room in Woburn so I am betting that whatever they do in the Seaport is going to be pretty decent. Lanigan isn't new to the industry so he knows better than most how to create a successful restaurant. If I was going to guess I would bet the menu will appeal to both the average person as well as a low end foodie. Kind of like their beer menu in Woburn, it has options for the regular beer drinker but they also have a few beers that will impress most of the BA crowd. I don't see myself ever having LH regularly in my fridge but I also can imagine that occasionally I will (in full transparency I have maybe a can or two of one of their stouts that I had picked up last December at their brewery). Its Caviar Godmother which isn't nearly as good as regular Godmother.

    I would venture to guess its a place that if I was in the Seaport area with a diverse group of people I would choose to go there. If I was in the area with craft beer friends on the other hand I would most definitely not go there.
     
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  19. yuppiescum

    yuppiescum Crusader (478) Jun 4, 2009 Massachusetts

    2 Dry Dock is right across the bridge from "actual" southie. There are plenty of people who'd walk or take the short uber over there. I'm skeptical about the scale, but whatever.
     
  20. Hiwattowner

    Hiwattowner Pooh-Bah (2,852) Feb 23, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The area has been planned to the Nth degree. It was one of Menino's main projects during the 90s and 00s before he died. That's not to say everyone necessarily loves the planning - especially the traffic bottlenecks getting to the Pike or to the financial district.

    Google - Massport Rising Master Plan, Seaport Square Master Plan and Boston Drydock Master Plan.

    The Boston dry dock plan is I think still working its way through Boston approval.
     
    #20 Hiwattowner, Oct 22, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2019
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