By Sun Staff
Mayor Michelle Wu joined the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, celebrated pastry chef Joanne Chang, and community members on Friday, May 30, to cut the ribbon on Flour Bakery + Café’s newest location in the Boston Common Concession Pavilion.
Flour was selected as the food vendor via a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) issued in the fall of 2024 to take over the former ‘men’s comfort station’ located near the center of the Common, close to the athletic fields, tennis courts, and the Parkman Bandstand.
“Flour Bakery brings community and deliciousness to Boston Common with new treats and classic favorites, helping to build the excitement and activation Downtown,” said Mayor Wu. “I am so excited to welcome this beloved local business to the center of one of Boston’s most historic community spaces in time for the summer.”
Led by James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and co-owner Joanne Chang, Flour is a minority- and women-owned small business that opened its first location in the South End in 2000. The Boston Common location, which is Flour’s 10th bakery in the Boston area, had its soft opening on April 15.
The selection of Flour Bakery builds on Mayor Wu’s efforts to revitalize Downtown Boston, which includes improving public spaces, supporting local businesses, and enhancing amenities for residents, workers, and tourists, according to the city. The reactivation of the Boston Common Concession Pavilion is a key piece of the Boston Common Master Plan, which calls for improved edges, seamless park-to-city connections, and a stronger sense of place throughout the park.
“Flour Bakery’s arrival on Boston Common reflects our vision for parks that are vibrant, inclusive, and climate-resilient spaces at the heart of our communities,” said Chief Climate Officer and Interim Boston Parks Commissioner Brian Swett. “We’re excited to continue activating this treasured historic space and proud to support partnerships that enhance the daily experience of our parks while helping build a stronger and more welcoming Downtown.”
Flour Bakery helps complement a growing lineup of seasonal activations on the Common, including the return of the UnCommon Stage and Beer Garden in partnership with Emerson College, which brings food, beverages, and live music to the park. These initiatives also reflect the goals of the Boston Common Master Plan: including “to expand amenities that support park visitors; to create a multi-functional space welcoming to people of all backgrounds and neighborhoods; and to strengthen the park’s natural, historic, and cultural character,” according to the city.
“I am excited to welcome Flour Bakery to the Boston Common and look forward to seeing how this beloved local business continues to flourish at their new location and that we reap the benefits of re-activating this space,” said Rep. Jay Livingstone.
District 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan said in part: “Flour Bakery’s opening at the Boston Common is not just a milestone for our City, but a celebration of the nation’s oldest park. Joanne Chang’s leadership has helped shape Boston’s food scene and economic vibrancy, creating spaces that nourish not just with food but with love and community.”
Similarly, Leslie Singleton Adam, board chair of the Friends of the Public Garden, said: “Flour’s arrival brings new energy to the Boston Common and reflects the power of public-private partnerships to reimagine what’s possible in our parks. We’re thrilled to welcome a beloved local business into this historic space and to see the Common continue to evolve as a vibrant, welcoming destination for all.”
The 660 square-foot, octagonal building, now called the Boston Common Concession Pavilion, was constructed in 1916 and served as a comfort station until it was abandoned in the 1970s. A Florida-based chain, Earl of Sandwich, spent around $1 million to transform the building into a restaurant in 2013, but that establishment, which had reportedly incurred subsequent losses of $2.2 million, closed last August after the city allowed the company to break its 15-year lease four years early.