Allston Retail Space - For Rent & Sale

Interested in retail space in Allston? Sign up with Boston City Properties to view up-to-the-minute listings for prime retail and commercial properties in this vibrant neighborhood in the western part of the city. Our team is dedicated to connecting clients with first-rate retail and commercial space throughout the city, and our listings include many options in Allston.

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Retail Space

Retail and commercial space in Allston takes make forms. As a result, there are options for just about any type of business. A lot of thought and effort should go into your search to ensure that you purchase or lease the right property the first time. The best way to achieve that is by availing yourself of our handy, incredibly informative listings for retail space in this eclectic neighborhood. From mixed-use developments to small boutique spaces in large buildings, you'll find just about anything imaginable in Allston, making it easy to zero in on a space that suits your business's needs and budget.

Chances are that you already have a vision in mind for the retail or commercial property you'd like to buy. Why not let Boston City Properties help you locate it in Allston? Whether you need something cozy and compact or something large and sprawling, we have you covered. Our listings for Allston commercial space allow you to pinpoint properties that have the lease terms you desire too, from net leases to full-service leases and everything in between. The right property can make a huge difference when it comes to the long-term success of a business, so get things off to a great start by exploring our free, convenient listings right now.

Established in 1867, this distinct and diverse neighborhood has historically been home to an intellectually curious and hardworking population. Pretty and picturesque, its rich history includes serving as home to the famous American poet and painter named Washington Allen. The town is often referred to in conjunction with its neighbor Brighton. Together, the two charismatic neighborhoods are a distinct and celebrated part of Boston, and they are characterized by quaint town centers filled with small shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and other businesses. The historic charm and sense of community has made this neighborhood a prime location for Boston area residents who want some distance, but at the same time an easy commute, between the areas where they live and work. The growing population and economic stability of Boston have proven ripe for the retail development, as small businesses like banking, clothing stores, fitness centers, and law offices continue to fill the needs of the local population, and will become even more important conveniences in the future.

As part of the Boston city map, this dynamic Boston neighborhood, as with the city of Boston and the Boston metropolitan area itself, is a prime center of growth and opportunity. There has been a considerable amount of activity surrounding the commercial sector, which is poised for takeoff with the continued support of traditional businesses as well as emerging technology and ecommerce which has proven quite beneficial for retail clients, as they benefit from the increasing volume of traffic that the commercial companies bring. In the past year, and with a promising future ahead, this dynamic Boston suburb shows great promise for growth in both the commercial and retail sectors.

This continued need is combining with still low, albeit rising, rental prices for potential retail tenants. In Boston, as with other areas, retail space is divided into several categories based on factors like the building’s age, its location, and its proximity to long-term and established anchor tenants, which also attract investors based on their capacity to draw customers and pay their monthly dues in full and on time. Space has recently been widely available due to the large volume of abandoned and outdated warehouse and industrial buildings, which have been considered prime areas of opportunity for retail centers and shopping plazas, as these versatile buildings have the flexibility to be customized and adapted to certain uses. Many also enjoy prime locations near strategic transportation centers.

In the past five years, Boston and its surrounding suburbs have proven to be critical areas for the growth of the new American economy, which is comprised primarily of businesses in the software, technology and ecommerce sectors. The inundation of these companies is providing prime and unprecedented opportunities for those in the retail sector as well, who are increasingly co-inhabiting mixed-use buildings with commercial tenants. The arrival of large commercial tenants stabilizes the economy and draws considerably larger amounts of foot and vehicular traffic. The town itself is expanding in both a permanent population, as evidenced by the increasing number of people choosing to call the area home, as well as transient and tourist populations who arrive for the day to see the city’s historic sites, shop at its prestigious districts, and visit its premier restaurants, which include some of the most prestigious Zagat and Michelin-rated establishments in the country.

With the increased interest among the permanent and transient populations, retailers in the area are seeing tremendous potential for growth. Retailers moving into open storefronts and buildings downtown are enjoying a prime visibility for the incoming population, particularly in the form of foot traffic, while retailers locating farther outside of town get less foot traffic, but they are often more visible and more conveniently located to major transportation corridors serving the area.

The retail sector has been characterized by tremendous growth since 2016, which means that space is still available, but that ample space is dwindling as retailers of all sizes and retail backgrounds race to fill the voids. Along with the increased competition for available space is the steadily, and astronomically, rising rates of rental and lease prices in the area. In the year 2017 alone, the average rental prices rose over the 2016 numbers by over 10 percent, which is an unprecedented amount. As space continues to decrease but demand continues to rise, prices are only expected to increase more.

The retail market is ever-changing, but there are some good examples on the present market of what prospective retailers might find further down the road. One type of retail property a client might find is a space in a freestanding building that is marked as suitable for general retail use, such as the single space available at 350 Washington Street. The listing calls the space a unique opportunity for conducting business in a modern high-rise building that is located close to the prestigious and highly trafficked Downtown Crossing. The building is considered to be highly visible and it has excellent signage. Located on a corner, it is close to several MBTA stations, which is critical for continuing to receive the same amount of foot traffic that has been keeping area businesses alive and thriving in the past few years. The building was constructed in 1965, which means that it is unlikely to need major renovations and improvements in the near future. The space itself is quite large, with a total area of just under 8,000 square feet (SF). The building, also sizable, covers a total area of about 150,000 SF. The building was previously used as a medical office, and it is considered suitable for the same use in the future. The location is deemed to be highly walkable, which is a bonus for medical companies and related businesses that rely on foot traffic to flourish. Another good feature of this building is the fact that it is equipped with modern features like large windows and an elevator, which is a critical feature especially for businesses hoping to conduct business with clients needing such services, such as medical practitioners. Onsite parking for employees and clients and an energy-efficient design are other assets that make this building highly desirable, along with private bathrooms and a full kitchen for use by the building’s employees. The rental price is not disclosed, and instead interested tenants are encouraged to contact the landlord to discuss pricing. This financial is especially common for Class B and Class C buildings where landlords may be more willing to negotiate a price than in Class A buildings, which are outfitted with the latest bells and whistles and command significantly higher prices.

While some retail customers find space in areas designated specifically for retail use, others are finding opportunity in moving into mixed-use spaces like buildings that are designated for residential and retail use. One such example is the building for lease at 681 Tremont St. The building is designated as a general retail space with a storefront layout. Situated in a historic structure, the building features a beautiful antiquated façade, a covered front entrance and an accessible staircase leading up to the front door. Beautiful bay windows look out over the street below on the upper floors, which makes the establishment a prime center for residential use. Tenants hoping to move into the building can look forward to apartments with about 650 SF of space. The building was constructed at the turn of the 20th century, which means that it may need some updating and modifications to make it inhabitable for tenants and employees. The building is listed as immediately available, and the rental rate is undisclosed, meaning there’s likely room for negotiation. The building covers a total area of just under 3,400 SF. It is considered to be in an excellent location in terms of accessibility by both foot and vehicular traffic. The building is available immediately for use, and it’s considered ideal for an investment financing structure. Another benefit of the building is that it comes with off-street tandem parking, which is a coveted feature in the Boston area.

As prospective retail tenants will find, the price point for leasing and owning in this part of the Greater Boston area is considerably lower than it is for other suburbs. This fact is especially appealing for both incoming tenants and investors, as both are aware that in the past few years, and since 2016 in particular, rental rates have escalated significantly in both the retail and commercial sectors. Since 2016 alone, the rental prices have risen by over 10 percent for rental spaces, as tenants race to grab the spaces they need that have the advantages of good locations, good prices, and visibility. Retailers may find rental rates as low as just over $4.50 per SF, which is a true bargain compared to other areas around the country.

Once such example of a well-priced space is the general retail space available in a building at 140 Harvard Ave. This flexible retail space is offered for lease for a price of $4.80 per SF each month. Tenants planning to lease the space will enjoy a prominent and coveted location on Harvard Avenue. The space lies between Commonwealth Ave. and Brighton Ave., which are naturally bustling areas with considerable volumes of foot and vehicular traffic. The retail space offered for rent is a single-story building with a prominent front entrance. Large windows on the property make the space a good opportunity for clothing shops, jewelers, and other retailers whose goods may attract people from the street to stop in and take a more thorough look. The location is categorized as a storefront for a sub-type, which makes it suitable for other endeavors like bakeries, cafes, and coffee shops as well. Considering its visibility and prominent location, the building is offered for a reasonable price. The building was constructed in 1910, and it has been well-maintained since its initial opening. Highlights of the space are that it offers about 1,000 SF of retail space, and that it has an additional 1,000 SF of basement space, which leaves plenty of room for storage. Other highlights of the building are that it has fully carpeted floors, high ceilings, and ample natural light, which enhances the enjoyment of both visiting clients and employees. Several types of public transportation reach the area regularly, including buses, subways, and several lines of the MBTA. A signalized intersection is located nearby, which will only increase the volume of pedestrian traffic that the building sees in the coming years. Recessed lighting in the building serves both aesthetic and safety purposes, and it is considered to be one of the best assets of the building as far as renovations and modern amenities are concerned. Those interested in renting the building should note that there may be an additional space available, which means that there is room for potential future expansion. In addition to the conveniences above, interested tenants should also note that there are private restrooms available for this suite and the potential second suite, which means that the spaces are ideal for retail and potentially residential uses as well.

While some spaces are advertised as being suitable for just retail use, there is a growing demand for spaces that can be used for dual purposes, such as combinations of retail and residential space. This is especially true for entities looking to occupy previously vacant warehouse and industrial buildings. The benefits of sharing a space are practical in terms of both business growth and economics. A retail client looking to share a space with residential tenants, for instance, will enjoy the benefits of the automatic food traffic that the residential clients provide, as well as the lower cost of rentals that comes with sharing a space with another customer. Looking through the retail listings, it is not uncommon to find spaces advertised as “creative spaces” that are suitable for living and working arrangements.

One example of a possible mixed-use space that clients might find is the high-rise building at 229 Kelton Street. The building enjoys excellent visibility and prominence, due in part to its corner setting and in part because of its accessibility for pedestrian traffic. The building is listed for sale at an undisclosed price, which means that interested prospective clients are encouraged to contact the owner for more pricing information. The building is ideal for retailers and even those interested in office space, as it has plenty of quiet, sunny working space and a good location. Currently, the building is occupied by a single tenant. While the lower floor is designated as suitable for retail use, the rest of the building is private, comfortable, and considered to be suitable for apartments and multi-family use. The retail space of the building is presently used as a laundromat, but the space is suitable for general retail purposes, which means that it can easily be adapted to meet other retail needs. The building was constructed in the early 1980s, and it has been used continually since then for a variety of purposes. The building is listed as having high barriers to entry, which is good news to investors and neighbors as well, since it means that only the most qualified tenants will be considered. The building is deemed to be attractive in terms of both location and façade. In addition to being accessible by pedestrians, it is also close to a prominent stop on the Green Line of the T, which offers direct access to the downtown area of Boston. This is a significant benefit for prospective tenants, as it means that there is the potential for considerable amounts of traffic generated by both the passing through of the local resident population as well as daytime tourists and the transient business population. In addition to the location, one of the most unique and enviable features of the building is the fact that it has a grandfathered-in opportunity, which is due in large part to its background of having a single-occupancy tenant. The building’s solid rental and owner history means that financing opportunities for incoming tenants and investors also looks quite promising. An anchor tenant in the building recently signed a long-term contract with investors, which means that the fixed-rate rental price for incoming tenants will be lower, and will continue to be lower, than the prices that other tenants in the neighborhood, and in the Greater Boston area in general, will likely see over the next few years. As of now, real estate experts in the area predict that rental rates in the retail and office sectors will rise by about another 20 percent or so over the next year. However, tenants entering into an arrangement in this building will enjoy a reprieve from such escalating prices by starting in on a lease deal that locks in the current prices. This is particularly appealing as prices for retail and commercial spaces of all kinds, whether they are classified as Class A, Class B or Class C, are projected to rise, and rise potentially astronomically, as tenants race to take advantage of the ample space and strategic locations that buildings in the Greater Boston area offer.

In addition to retail space, another growing concern of those moving into the area is the availability of parking space. As the daytime and permanent population numbers in and around Allston grows, parking is quickly becoming scarcer. These days, it is not unheard of for a single parking space, let alone an offsite garage or parking lot, to add a considerable amount to the rental or sales price of buildings designated for both residential and commercial use. In the heart of Boston, for instance, premium single-space parking spots, which are easy to get in and out of, can fetch price tags well into the six-figure range. Therefore, it is considered a treat to find a prospective space for sale or lease, both on the commercial and retail sides, that has such amenities. One example of a space that tenants might find with its own parking spots is the two-story building on Lincoln Street. The building, which is offered for lease, is currently on the market for a price of $1.25 per SF each month. The space available covers an area of about 0.07 acres. It is located in a picturesque building that covers a total area of 18,000 SF. The building is praised for its prominent location, which is close to several major busy highways and roadways. The building is also easily accessible by several forms of public transportation. It has easy access to downtown Boston, which is critical now and will be in the years to come, and it is also located within easy reach of the Boston Logan International Airport, which is one of the busiest and largest air transportation centers on the East Coast. The building is just minutes from the Mass Pike, which is one of the busiest highways in the area, and it is used frequently for both truck and vehicular traffic. This makes it a critical juncture for local retailers and businesses, who rely on the daily traffic of both residents and the occasional tourism that such large transportation routes bring to the area. In addition to the advantageous location, the building has several other desirable amenities that make it attractive for prospective tenants. One main attraction of this facility is that it was constructed in the mid-1960s. This means that the building is relatively new and is unlikely to require the extensive renovations and modifications that are typically required of tenants renting and owning older buildings. The building is listed as a Class B establishment, which means that it lacks the state-of-the-art features of Class A buildings, such as elevators, sprinkler systems and advanced security systems and creature comforts. In contrast, however, tenants will find that they have a space that can be customized for their desired use. Plenty of onsite parking, which can be used for both the building’s employees and visiting clients, is another major part of its appeal.

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Retail Space