Boloco
A Boston-founded fast-casual restaurant brand known for burritos, wraps, bowls, smoothies, and a socially oriented operating model.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Boloco is an American fast-casual restaurant brand originating in Boston, Massachusetts. Its name derives from “Boston Local Company,” reflecting the brand’s New England roots and its emphasis on locally connected operations. The business began in 1996 as Under Wraps, with its first restaurant opening in Boston’s Back Bay in 1997. It subsequently operated under names including The Wrap and The Wrap and Smoothie Bar before adopting the Boloco identity in 2005. The concept centered on hot, globally influenced burritos and wraps rather than conventional cold deli-style wraps. Its menu expanded to include burritos, bowls, smoothies, and other Mexican-inspired or internationally influenced combinations, generally allowing customers to select fillings and formats. The company’s early growth included the acquisition of Wrap Culture in 1998 and a merger with the four-unit juice business Jera’s Juice in 2000. The combined business operated as Stellar Restaurant Group for a period and expanded around Boston before opening outside the area, including a Dartmouth College location in Hanover, New Hampshire, in 2004. In late 2004, the founders sold The Wrap brand and related assets to Joe Lanni and his sons, who pursued a broader franchising strategy. A rebranding led by FRCH Design Worldwide produced the name Boloco, intended to avoid the legal and strategic limitations of the generic “The Wrap” name while signaling a more varied menu. The “Inspired Burritos” positioning accompanied the new identity. Mike Harder, a former Chipotle executive, was recruited to lead the business during this expansion period. Between 2005 and 2007, company-operated and franchised restaurants expanded across New England and into other markets, including the Washington, D.C., area and college campuses through a Sodexo relationship. The founders repurchased the sold assets and franchised locations in 2007, with the franchised restaurants subsequently rebranded as Currito. In 2008, a controlling interest in Boloco was sold to Winona Capital Management. The business reached a peak of approximately 22 locations in 2014, but it was also experiencing significant losses and operational pressure. John Pepper returned to leadership after the founders repurchased the company from Winona in 2014–2015. The subsequent strategy focused on reducing the footprint, closing underperforming restaurants, renegotiating leases, and concentrating on locations that could achieve profitability. Boloco became known not only for its food but also for labor and environmental policies that were unusual for the fast-casual sector. It paid employees above applicable minimum-wage levels, promoted cage-free eggs, eliminated certain disposable materials, used compostable service items, and pursued Green Restaurant Association certification. The company became a certified B Corporation in 2016. Its employment practices also brought public attention from political figures advocating higher minimum wages. The brand continued to contract after 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated closures and created additional lease and operating challenges. By 2020, only a small number of locations remained, and an attempted sale to other small businesses did not materialize. Further closures followed in Boston and New England. In 2024, the Hanover restaurant was sold to new operators who initially retained the Boloco name; it was renamed Bōcasōca in 2025. The Boston Children’s Hospital location also closed during 2025, leaving one Boloco restaurant in Boston. In 2026, the remaining Congress Street location was announced for closure on September 25 following the sale and redevelopment of its building, although Pepper indicated that a future relocation remained possible. Thus, Boloco’s history is that of a locally rooted restaurant concept that expanded through acquisition, franchising, and investment, then deliberately contracted toward a much smaller owner-operated footprint.
History
Boloco began in 1996 as Under Wraps, founded by Adam Liebman, Gregg Harris, John Pepper, and Jason Hutchinson. Its first restaurant opened in Boston’s Back Bay in 1997. The young company acquired the competing Wrap Culture business in 1998 and consolidated the restaurants under The Wrap and Smoothie Bar identity. In 2000, it merged with Jera’s Juice, a four-unit juice business, creating Stellar Restaurant Group. The company added Boston-area sites and opened its first location beyond the immediate Boston market at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, in 2004. Later in 2004, the founders sold The Wrap brand and its assets to Joe Lanni and his sons. The buyers sought to create a nationally expandable fast-casual concept, while the original name was considered too generic and too strongly associated with cold deli wraps. A branding project led by FRCH Design Worldwide resulted in the name Boloco, derived from Boston Local Company. The new identity was introduced in 2005 with the “Inspired Burritos” concept, broadening the perceived menu beyond ordinary wraps. Mike Harder, formerly associated with Chipotle Mexican Grill, became chief executive during the expansion phase. From 2005 through 2007, Boloco added company-operated locations and expanded through franchising. Restaurants opened in Boston and other New England markets, including Vermont and New Hampshire, while franchise and food-service arrangements placed the concept on college campuses. In 2007, the founders repurchased the sold assets and franchise restaurants; the franchise sites were subsequently converted to the Currito brand. In 2008, Winona Capital Management acquired a controlling interest. The business reached approximately 22 owned locations in 2014, extending into the Washington, D.C., and Bethesda, Maryland, markets. Growth was accompanied by financial strain, and the company was reported to be losing about $3 million annually around its 2014 peak. John Pepper, who had remained an investor, challenged the company to approve a proposed investment and later returned to operational leadership after the founders reacquired Boloco from Winona in 2014–2015. As interim chief executive, Pepper pursued a retrenchment plan based on cost control, lease management, and closing restaurants that were not profitable. Closures affected Newbury Street, School Street, Pearl Street, Cleveland Circle, and other locations during 2015 and 2016. Five restaurants were sold to B.GOOD in 2016. In 2017, the Harvard Square and Warwick restaurants closed and were replaced by other concepts. The company was down to nine locations after those changes and was reported to have returned to profitability by 2018. A dispute or negotiation concerning the Copley Square site ended with that restaurant closing after the landlord sought a substantial rent increase. The pandemic brought another sharp contraction. Four restaurants closed by late March 2020. Selected locations temporarily offered inexpensive meals through a Feeding the Front Line menu, while the company renegotiated leases and explored a sale. By October 2020, only the Boston Children’s Hospital and Lynnfield restaurants were reported as operating, and the hoped-for sale to small-business buyers did not occur. Lease difficulties led to further closures. Boloco announced in August 2023 that its Berklee flagship would close. The company also planned to close two other Boston restaurants, although the Congress Street site ultimately remained open after landlord negotiations. In 2024, the Hanover restaurant was sold to new owners who initially retained the Boloco name; it was renamed Bōcasōca in 2025. The Boston Children’s Hospital location also closed during 2025, leaving one Boloco site in Boston. In July 2026, Pepper announced that the remaining Congress Street restaurant would close on September 25 because the building had been sold and was being converted from office to residential use. He described the closure as primarily redevelopment-related and left open the possibility of finding another location. Throughout its history, Boloco differentiated itself through social and environmental initiatives. It paid above-minimum wages, promoted cage-free eggs, used compostable serviceware, eliminated Styrofoam cups, and pursued formal environmental certification. It became the first New England fast-casual chain to receive Certified Green status from the Green Restaurant Association and later became a certified B Corporation. The brand also tested plant-based minced chicken in 2022. These policies made Boloco a visible example of a socially progressive independent restaurant model, even as its geographic footprint steadily diminished.
- 2026
Congress Street closure announced
[1]The remaining reported Boloco restaurant was scheduled to close on September 25 because of redevelopment of its building.
- 2025
Hanover site renamed Bōcasōca
[1]After a change in ownership, the former Boloco restaurant in Hanover adopted a new name and menu.
- 2023
Berklee flagship closes
[1]The long-running Massachusetts Avenue and Boylston Street location closed as the chain continued to reduce its footprint.
- 2016
Boloco becomes a certified B Corporation
[1]The brand received B Corp certification recognizing an operating model intended to balance commercial and social objectives.
- 2008
Winona Capital acquires controlling stake
[1]Winona Capital Management acquired control of the company.
- 2007
Franchised locations become Currito
[1]The founders’ repurchase was followed by the rebranding of franchised restaurants as Currito.
- 2005
Boloco brand introduced
[1]The restaurant company adopted Boloco and positioned itself around globally inspired burritos.
- 2004
First location outside greater Boston
[1]A Dartmouth College restaurant opened in Hanover, New Hampshire.
- 2000
Merger with Jera’s Juice
[1]The four-unit juice business Jera’s Juice merged with the restaurant operation, forming Stellar Restaurant Group.
- 1998
Wrap Culture acquired
[1]The company acquired the competing Wrap Culture restaurants and consolidated them under a common identity.
Products and positioning
Boston-rooted fast casual focused on customizable, globally inspired burritos and wraps, with an emphasis on fresh food, local identity, employee compensation, and environmental responsibility.
Main dishes · 2005
Inspired burritos
Boloco’s signature offering was the burrito, presented in combinations influenced by cuisines beyond traditional Mexican-American fast food. Customers could generally customize fillings and choose a handheld burrito or another format. The “Inspired Burritos” positioning helped distinguish the brand from the colder, deli-style meaning associated with its former The Wrap name.
Main dishes · 1996
Wraps
Wraps were central to the company’s original concept under Under Wraps and The Wrap. Over time, the menu shifted toward hot, more elaborate burritos and globally influenced combinations, but wraps remained part of the brand’s broader fast-casual format.
Main dishes
Bowls
Boloco offered bowl formats for customers who wanted the brand’s rice, fillings, sauces, and other ingredients without a tortilla. Bowls supported the company’s emphasis on customization and made the menu applicable to customers seeking a fork-served alternative to burritos.
Beverages · 1998
Smoothies
Smoothies were a longstanding part of the concept, inherited from the company’s early identity as The Wrap and Smoothie Bar and reinforced by the acquisition of Jera’s Juice. They complemented the burrito and wrap menu and helped establish Boloco as a broader quick-service beverage and meal concept.
Plant-based food · 2022
Plant-based minced chicken
In 2022, Boloco tested plant-based minced chicken at its Congress Street restaurant. The experiment extended the brand’s customizable format to a meatless protein option, although the available reference material does not establish a permanent chain-wide rollout.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Feeding the Front Line menu
Massachusetts
During the early COVID-19 period, selected Boloco restaurants offered a limited menu with meals priced at five dollars or less for frontline workers and customers.
Outcome. The initiative allowed some locations to continue serving communities during the initial pandemic disruption, although the broader business still experienced extensive closures.
- 2014Minimum-wage advocacy events
United States · Massachusetts · Maryland
Boloco hosted public events supporting higher minimum wages. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Richard Durbin appeared at the Boston Congress Street restaurant, while Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez participated at the Bethesda location.
Outcome. The events increased public visibility for Boloco’s above-minimum-wage employment practices and connected the brand with national and state wage-policy debates.
Brand decisions
2026
Closure of the remaining Congress Street restaurantOtherBackground
The building housing the last reported Boloco site was sold and planned for conversion from office use to residential use.
Action taken
John Pepper announced a scheduled September 25 closure while indicating that a replacement downtown location might still be possible.
Aftermath
The announcement marked the planned end of the restaurant’s 29-year and six-month run at the existing site, subject to any future relocation.
2022
Plant-based minced chicken testProduct launchBackground
Boloco explored additional meatless menu choices within its customizable burrito format.
Action taken
The company tested plant-based minced chicken at the Congress Street location.
Aftermath
The available reference does not establish whether the test became a permanent or chain-wide product.
2020
Pandemic restructuring and attempted saleStrategyBackground
COVID-19 caused abrupt restaurant closures and intensified the company’s lease and liquidity pressures.
Action taken
Boloco renegotiated leases, operated limited menus at selected sites, explored potential buyers, and considered reopening certain Boston locations.
Aftermath
The proposed sale did not materialize and additional locations closed, leaving the brand with only a small number of restaurants.
2015
Footprint reduction and profitability focusStrategyBackground
The company had reached roughly 22 locations but was losing money and facing weak performance at several restaurants.
Action taken
After returning to leadership, John Pepper closed underperforming stores, reviewed leases, and concentrated operations on locations with a clearer path to profitability.
Aftermath
The chain contracted substantially and was reported to have returned to profitability by 2018, but continued to operate at a much smaller scale.
2007
Repurchase of sold assets and separation of franchise brandM&ABackground
The founders sought to regain control after the earlier sale and national franchising effort.
Action taken
The founders repurchased the sold assets and franchised restaurants, which were subsequently renamed Currito.
Aftermath
Boloco returned to a more locally controlled model while Currito became the separate identity for the former franchise locations.
2005
Rebrand from The Wrap to BolocoStrategyBackground
The former name was considered too generic for legal protection and suggested cold deli wraps, while the company wanted to communicate a broader hot-burrito menu.
Action taken
The company adopted Boloco, derived from Boston Local Company, and introduced the “Inspired Burritos” positioning.
Aftermath
The new identity supported expansion across New England and through franchise and college-campus channels.
Recent events
- 2026
Remaining Congress Street Boloco location scheduled to close[1]
Other
The last reported Boloco restaurant was scheduled to close on September 25 after its building was sold for office-to-residential redevelopment; a future relocation was not ruled out.
- 2024
Hanover location sold and later renamed Bōcasōca[1]
M&A
The Hanover, New Hampshire, restaurant was sold to new operators and initially continued as Boloco before adopting the Bōcasōca name in 2025.
- 2023
Boloco closes its Berklee flagship location[1]
Other
The Massachusetts Avenue and Boylston Street restaurant closed in August, with additional downtown closures announced as leases expired.
- 2020
COVID-19 pandemic accelerates Boloco closures[1]
Other
Several restaurants closed during the pandemic, while the company negotiated leases, operated limited offerings at selected sites, and explored a potential sale.
- 2015
Boloco contracts after reaching its peak footprint[1]
Other
Following the founders’ return and a period of losses, Boloco began closing underperforming restaurants and reducing its northeastern and Mid-Atlantic presence.
- 2007
Boloco franchise locations are rebranded as Currito[1]
M&A
After the founders repurchased the business and related assets, franchised restaurants were separated from the Boloco identity and renamed Currito.
- 2005
Boloco adopts the Boloco name and launches an inspired-burrito identity[1]
Product launch
Following the sale of the earlier Wrap business, the restaurant company adopted Boloco as its new brand name and began a broader expansion effort.
Sources1 sources
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