Top of the Hub & The Skywalk To Close - Leases Not Offered

Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge and Skywalk Observatory, two of Boston’s iconic and most popular destinations will close on April 18, 2020. Top of the Hub is celebrating more than to the Boston community. The announcement was made by Select Restaurants, Inc., owner and operator of the restaurant and observatory. The closures are the result of the decision of Boston Properties Inc., owners of The Prudential Tower, not to provide a new lease for the venues despite several years of discussion.

All of the more than 200 employees, some having worked at the restaurant for decades, will ultimately lose their jobs when the venues close.

Award-winning Top of the Hub is located on the 52nd floor of ThePrudential Tower and offers sweeping views of the city from every table. While the popular restaurant has hosted many famous people over the years, it is the thousands of patrons from Greater Boston who celebrated countless engagements, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions who will miss it the most.

The Skywalk Observatory, located directly below the restaurant on the 50th floor, is New England's tallest observatory and Boston's best sky-high vantage point. Popular with local residents, national and international visitors, and countless educational groups, the Skywalk greets guests with an array of interactive audio-visual exhibits, including: a fully narrated handset audio tour -- available in six languages; Dreams of Freedom: Boston’s Immigrant Experience; and the Skywalk’s state-of-the-art, multimedia theater showcasing multiple presentations including, “Wings Over Boston,” a breathtaking aerial video tour providing a bird’s eye view of Boston and Cambridge.

According to John Quagliata, Chairman of Select Restaurants, Inc., the lack of a new lease is not due to management failure, an inability to pay escalating rents, or a down turn in business .

He said, “Despite continued sales growth, a commitment to once again invest millions of dollars in the restaurant, and our heartfelt desire to operate the restaurant as we have for decades, Boston Properties chose not to extend our lease.”

Quagliata said the announcement was made to make staff aware of the restaurant’s circumstances. “We are respectful of our staff, our family, we wanted them to learn the news directly from ownership and management.”

Renowned for both neighborhood dining as well as special holiday occasions ranging from New Year’s Eve and Mother’s Day to the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, Top of the Hub is also a favorite choice for family traditions from birthdays to commencement dinners. The restaurant stands as a universally popular setting for marriage proposals, with many couples returning
annually to mark anniversaries. Management hopes to greet many of its longtime guests one last time before the closure.

Alan Donatelli, President and Chief Operating Officer, said,“Our long-tenured staff is making preparations to continue to welcome friends and clients over the coming months. Our guests will continue to experience the exceptional food and hospitality they have come to experience for more than 50years. We are proud to have a family of great, committed professionals working
with us to positively contribute to Top of the Hub’s storied success.”

Top of the Hub and the Skywalk Observatory have been showcased on: The Food Network, The Travel Channel,The Discovery Channel, The BBC, “Wheel of Fortune,” “Roker on the Road,”
“Chronicle,” “The Phantom Gourmet,” “TV Diner” and “Dining Playbook” as well as on every major television outlet in Boston.

Print and online coverage has extended from local Boston media -- The Boston Globe, boston.com, Boston Herald, Boston METRO, BostonNOW, The Improper Bostonian, STUFF Magazine, Boston Magazine, The Boston Phoenix, Panorama, WHERE Magazine, BLAST, Boston Courant, The Back Bay Sun, ZagatBuzz-Boston, PATCH.com, Wicked Local, Digital City Boston, Boston Citysearch.com, The Boston Event Guide, BostonEvents.com, BostonTravel.com and The Patriot Ledger,among others -- to major stories across the country (USA Today), trade press and prominent food publications. International feature coverage extends from Canada to England, France, Germany, Japan and beyond.

DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY

The community commitment from Select Restaurants, Inc. is long and well established. Management has hosted countless charity fundraisers and community events with such organizations as Back Bay Association, Boston Medical Center, Boston Strong, Children’s Chernobyl Project, Community Servings, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, DJ Dream Fund, Esplanade Association, Joslin Diabetes, Lahey Hospital, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Newbury Street League, and Red Cross Disaster Relief among many others.

For many years, the Skywalk has partnered with The Boston Celtics to host both educational and awards programs for Boston Center for Youth & Family Services along with annual Christmas celebrations for young patients from Boston Medical Center.

Among its extensive national and international print and broadcast coverage, Top of the Hub was honored to be prominently featured in The Travel Channel’s “New England Thanksgiving Traditions,” which detailed therestaurant's longstanding tradition of preparing, delivering and serving Thanksgiving Dinner to the firefighters and dispatchers at Engine 33 - Ladder 15, the restaurant's neighboring fire station on Boylston Street. This tradition has continued for more than two decades.

TOP OF THE HUB’S HONORS

Among the restaurant’s many awards:

Award of Excellence from Distinguished Restaurants of North America -- multiple years

Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine, 1998 – 2018

“One of the most romantic dining destinations in the world” - The Travel Channel

“Best Boston Date Ideas” – Time Out / Boston

“Top Ten Romantic Marriage Proposal Sites in the Northeast” - AAA

“Best Date Spot” in Massachusetts - The Active Times

“Great Places for Dates and Romance” - Where Magazine

“Best Special Occasion Dining” - Boston’s A-List, multiple years

“Most Romantic Restaurant in Boston” - WHDH-TV

“Most Romantic Restaurant” - The Improper Bostonian

“Best Romantic Restaurant” - The Boston Phoenix

“Great Ate: Romantic Restaurants” - Phantom Gourmet

“Best Secret Rendezvous” - The Improper Bostonian

For reservations and information, visit http://www.topofthehub.net and http://www.skywalkboston.com

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