The New Retail Thread

is there a similar sized city/metropolitan area (or smaller or non Michelin I guess) that you think would do better? genuinely asking. Charleston comes to mind I guess.
The thing is, Boston is the 11th largest metro area in the country, so if you're counting "similar sized" then yeah, Philadelphia, DC, and San Francisco are all more highly regarded than Boston. If willing to go to the near abroad, then also Montreal.
 
Swingers Back Bay - Opening Soon

777 Boylston Street (across from the Pru)


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That building will always be Charette to me. I swear there was a facadectomy proposal for that space at one point.
 
Another expensive, boozy putt putt huh? Not sure we can absorb two of these
My experience at the Swingers location in NYC was far better than PuttShack. It has actual good courses instead of just single shot gimmicks.
 
According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, Craft Food Halls is seeking to operate at One Post Office Square, with the notice saying that it would be in one large room on the ground floor with various dining and seating areas, and with a proposed closing time of 2:00 AM.
 
I do appreciate that they seem to be working on bringing back the food court - hopefully it'll curtail the explosion of kiosks. That said, its now ... checks notes... 2 years since their squarespace subscription expired, so I remain skeptical of Ashkenazy's commitment to South Station.

... You know it's not good when they've forgotten to pay the Squarespace subscription for their official website.

 
Another food hall concept…

I miss the pre-ultraluxe Copley Mall with the oddball movie theater and the waterfall.
I've been on this constantly on here but it is incredible how exclusionary the redesigned mall is. A sterile, uninviting place to be, full of stores with items out of reach for anyone but the top 0.5%. There's a major paradox with places like this. The rich obviously don't want to be bothered by mixing with the hoi polloi, so you tailor the space to their desires, but then of course foot traffic is so minimized that the retailers themselves are at risk. Simon made their bed with this one, now they have to lay in it.

One of the reasons I mourn the PoMo days is they did grandeur in an accessible and inviting way. Those spaces, Copley Place included, were upscale but aspirational, you too could be a part of this. But now, it's as cold and standoffish as the customers it caters to.
 
Regardless of use, that the space may remain empty for years is disturbing. And lowers the property value (and thus lowering assessed value and thus ..)
 
If only there were a plan to convert that corner of the mall into something we really need, like housing. 🙃
Malls in general are a thing of the past, and there seems to be a trend nationally into redeveloping them into housing. That would be a good conversion for this one.
 

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