Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1543986
4 Worcester Business Journal | March 23, 2026 | wbjournal.com O'Connor's Restaurant & Bar closing for good after 37 years of operation Just ahead of the St. Patrick's Day holiday, O'Connor's Restaurant & Bar closed for good. e prominent Irish bar has been in operation at 1160 West Boylston St. since 1989. e business announced the closure in a Facebook post on March 11, citing rising business costs and a recent pipe burst as factors in the decision. "rough many difficult times we've given it our very best to carry on this beloved landmark, but the latest challenges have led us to the end of our journey," the post reads. e restaurant was founded by Brendan and Claire O'Connor, natives of Ireland who moved to Worcester in 1988. e restaurant expanded its foot- print several times, before the O'Con- nors sold the business in 2022 as they headed into retirement. O'Connor's was purchased by Dennis and Jennifer Maxwell and their son Kyle, with the Maxwells purchasing the site for $2.2 million in July 2022. e restaurant had temporarily closed in April to all customers except those with pre-booked events, with the Maxwells citing staffing shortages. It reopened a few days later. Originally built in 1950, the restau- rant at 1160 West Boylston St. is 8,842 $23.4 million Venture capital funding raised since 2018 by Quantiphi, a Marlborough-based artificial intelligence consulting and engineering firm. In March, the company acquired Candyspace, a digital platform designer out of London. Source: Crunchbase 2 Latti Farm Road Millbury location of the Maserati and Alfa Romeo dealerships that Herb Chambers Cos. has closed after the Somerville-based dealership network was sold to Atlanta-based Asbury Automotive Source: Herb Chambers Cos. 57 Convenience store locations Cumberland Farms will acquire as the Westborough-based chain plans to purchase Coen Markets, a Pennsylvania-based chain of convenience stores and gas stations Source: Cumberland Farms Financing received by Synergy, a Boston-based real estate firm, to help convert the former Fallon Health headquarters in Worcester into 198 apartments. The financing was provided through Rhode Island-based Washington Trust and MassDevelopment. Source: MassDevelopment $51.17 million O'Connors Restaurant & Bar