VIBRANT, LAYERED AND FULL OF POSSIBILITY

Boston is one of the most exciting cities in the world, certainly in the United States. Downtown is the heart of Boston, and I believe it is where much of the city’s momentum will be in the years ahead. That is why I love it. We have played a small part in helping the neighborhood along, and I’m excited about its future.

I first came through Downtown Crossing roughly four and a half decades ago, and I was always attracted to the neighborhood. I began opening businesses on Temple Place in 2008 and now have six concepts there.

J.M. Curley, named for the colorful Boston politician James Michael Curley, is a neighborhood bar known for an excellent burger that has earned many accolades. Behind it is Bogie’s Place, an intimate steakhouse that was once called a speakeasy—although it is not much of a secret anymore. Guests enter through J.M. Curley or The Wig Shop, our classic cocktail lounge staffed by deeply knowledgeable bartenders.

More recently, I partnered with James Beard Award-winning chef Jamie Bissonnette and Andy Cartin on three additional concepts. Somaek is a homestyle Korean restaurant inspired by Jamie’s mother-in-law and her recipes. It received Michelin recognition and was named one of The New York Times’ best new restaurants in America in 2024. Temple Records draws inspiration from Japanese vinyl-listening cafés and bars, while our sushi counter downstairs is led by a chef from Japan and features fish sourced from Japan and New England.

Downtown Crossing has changed tremendously since I first knew it. Millennium Partners and Mayor Thomas Menino helped transform the neighborhood by imagining what it could become. Like the downtowns of other major cities, it has experienced ups and downs, but I believe it is firmly on an upward trajectory. With Mayor Michelle Wu’s attention to downtown and strong business and neighborhood organizations, things are looking very positive.

That momentum is one reason I moved downtown after living in the Seaport for a short time. I love being able to walk everywhere, and living and working here gives me a real sense of the city’s pulse.

I would describe Downtown Crossing as vibrant, layered and full of possibility. It is a thriving neighborhood with culture, activity and nightlife, and I cannot wait to see where it goes in the years ahead.