By HyunCheon Kim
Translated SeungYeon Woo



BonChon Chicken is now planning to open on the corner of Harvard and Commonwealth Ave. where Kelly's Roast Beef was located previously. Harvard Ave. in Allston, so called “Little Korean Town”, is now expected to be occupied mainly by Korean restaurants.

Hyuk Kim, the co-owner of BonChon Chicken on Harvard Ave. said, “Recently, we made a lease agreement with Hamilton Co., the landlord company of former Kelly's building and after we are allowed to have the liquor license, the new BonChon Chicken on Harvard Ave. will open.”

They are planning to open the restaurant by fall if the liquor license transfer is permitted at mid -August hearing. The location is about 5,000 sq. ft. and it was previously a famous New England restaurant, Kelly's Roast Beef. Kelly's stopped their business in Allston in December, 2011 due to a continuous budget deficit. It is quite interesting to see how a Korean restaurant survive at the location where Kelly's had to vacate.

Kelly's Roast Beef, one of the large fast-food restaurants in NE, has 58 years of history and is famous for its sandwiches with high-quality beef and fried seafood, regional specialties. There are a total of 5 Kelly's chain restaurants in Massachusetts and they are in the outskirts of Boston, for example, in Revere beach. The location in Allston was Kelly’s first step to enter the city of Boston but it turned out to be unsuccessful.

According to Hyuk Kim, “The menu of BonChon at Harvard Ave. has not yet been decided; however, the menu will be mainly not only chicken but also Korean dishes that are similar to the existing ones. Also, we will put more effort into strengthening the sushi menu.

Currently, BonChon Chicken has a total of 18 chain restaurants in the U.S. and 30 chains in South Korea and South-East Asia. The first BonChon in Massachusetts is located on Brighton Ave., which is about 0.5 miles away from the Harvard Ave. location. Also, the second chain recently opened in Harvard Square, Cambridge. For the new Harvard Ave. chain, the head president of BonChon Chicken is also investing with the regional owner, Hyuk Kim.

Alana Olsen, the director of Allston Village Main Streets, was the one who inform the news to BostonKorea about BonChon Chicken opening on Harvard Ave. Olsen said, “It must be that there are many Korean customers at BonChon Chicken if the new one is opening very close to the first chain. It shows how Allston is 'Little Korean Town'.”

There are currently about 10 Korean restaurants in Allston, including Bada, Bethlehem To Go, BonChon Chicken the 1st chain, Buk Kyung II, Color Restaurant, Hanmaru Restaurant, Ivy Sushi, KaJu Tofu Restaurant, Korean Garden and Myung Dong 1st Ave.

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ⓒ 보스톤코리아(http://www.bostonkorea.com), 무단전재 및 재배포 금지