TheRifleman
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Millennium Tower (Filene's) | 426 Washington Street | Downtown
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Re: Filene's
I honestly don't understand how anyone could argue against Target in this area. With all the students around, it'll easily hold its ground. South Bay Center is a pain in the neck to get to if you're in college without a car. Having this located literally in the main hub of the T (the big 4) couldn't be anymore ideal. I live in Roxbury and have a car and can guarantee you that I would use the DTX Target just so I wouldn't have to fight the traffic in Roxbury driving to SBC.
I honestly don't understand how anyone could argue against Target in this area. With all the students around, it'll easily hold its ground. South Bay Center is a pain in the neck to get to if you're in college without a car. Having this located literally in the main hub of the T (the big 4) couldn't be anymore ideal. I live in Roxbury and have a car and can guarantee you that I would use the DTX Target just so I wouldn't have to fight the traffic in Roxbury driving to SBC.
TheRifleman
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Re: Filene's
Think of this...........NYC is booming in every industry especially Fashion.
Why couldn't we recruit or try to persuade some fashion Icon to relocate to downtown BOSTON?. Okay this doesn't work. We also have Suffolk, Emerson around the corner, a ton of educated interns ready to work for free. HOW ABOUT trying to persuade the TV networks to relocate from NYC. Maybe reinvent the area so industry can vision molding the downtown of Boston into something more?
Just idea.
Nah the city of Boston settles on target
In the END VORNADO stuck the city of Boston.
Think of this...........NYC is booming in every industry especially Fashion.
Why couldn't we recruit or try to persuade some fashion Icon to relocate to downtown BOSTON?. Okay this doesn't work. We also have Suffolk, Emerson around the corner, a ton of educated interns ready to work for free. HOW ABOUT trying to persuade the TV networks to relocate from NYC. Maybe reinvent the area so industry can vision molding the downtown of Boston into something more?
Just idea.
Nah the city of Boston settles on target
In the END VORNADO stuck the city of Boston.
TheRifleman
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Re: Filene's
Bos77 you build a Target, Lowes, Home Depot in spots that are not attractive. This is a prime spot to reinvent the city of Boston downtown district. This was important spot to the city. The Mayor really fucked up on this one.
You really can't blame Vornado because in the end it's about MONEY.
This is prime location to create a new identity for Downtown instead Target, MACY's, CVS, Marshal's Bank of America ATM. You can find this stuff at any strip mall in America.
That is my point, Sorry to get emotional,
Bos77 you build a Target, Lowes, Home Depot in spots that are not attractive. This is a prime spot to reinvent the city of Boston downtown district. This was important spot to the city. The Mayor really fucked up on this one.
You really can't blame Vornado because in the end it's about MONEY.
This is prime location to create a new identity for Downtown instead Target, MACY's, CVS, Marshal's Bank of America ATM. You can find this stuff at any strip mall in America.
That is my point, Sorry to get emotional,
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Re: Filene's
I'm looking at this from an economic POV, silly "anti-Target"/"anti-big-box" grudges behind. High demand for a Target downtown, low supply of stores to buy basic needs downtown, immediate access to multiple transit lines (R,O,G) = smashing success. It's as simple as that. The store will make money. The store will generate sales tax, which will then help the city's economy and so forth.
I'm looking at this from an economic POV, silly "anti-Target"/"anti-big-box" grudges behind. High demand for a Target downtown, low supply of stores to buy basic needs downtown, immediate access to multiple transit lines (R,O,G) = smashing success. It's as simple as that. The store will make money. The store will generate sales tax, which will then help the city's economy and so forth.
HenryAlan
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Re: Filene's
Oh get off it, will you? This is a store that city residents can and will use, and will fit in nicely with the Marshals and TJ Max that are already there. People who live in the city shouldn't be faced with the choice of either rejecting Target or tramping out to the 'burbs to shop at one. This will bring a lot of pedestrian traffic, serve residents and office workers, and begin to address the blight issues presented by the hole. This is a good thing, and by the way, Target is patronized by a wide range of social classes. I'm glad it will be available for the low income folks you deride as section 8, but it will also be quite popular with middle and upper middle class folks.
This is New England, we love a good bargain!
Oh get off it, will you? This is a store that city residents can and will use, and will fit in nicely with the Marshals and TJ Max that are already there. People who live in the city shouldn't be faced with the choice of either rejecting Target or tramping out to the 'burbs to shop at one. This will bring a lot of pedestrian traffic, serve residents and office workers, and begin to address the blight issues presented by the hole. This is a good thing, and by the way, Target is patronized by a wide range of social classes. I'm glad it will be available for the low income folks you deride as section 8, but it will also be quite popular with middle and upper middle class folks.
This is New England, we love a good bargain!
statler
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Re: Filene's
The anti-box mentality is fairly logical though. Local stores can cater to local needs better (excluding items like TP, etc) and keep more of their earnings in-state which is better for the local economy.
The problem is that a local department store could never get the economies of scale that the national outlets can achieve, so they can't compete.
It's just a symptom of a much larger problem.
The anti-box mentality is fairly logical though. Local stores can cater to local needs better (excluding items like TP, etc) and keep more of their earnings in-state which is better for the local economy.
The problem is that a local department store could never get the economies of scale that the national outlets can achieve, so they can't compete.
It's just a symptom of a much larger problem.
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Shepard
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Re: Filene's
I'm sympathetic to both sides of the argument.
Data is correct that this will be well patronized and draw lots of foot traffic. There's an urban target at the 4th Ave/Atlantic/Flatbush Brooklyn MTA&LIR stop, and it does create a lot of vibrancy at the intersection, which is also a major transit hub.
However, Rifleman is correct that it's a sad commentary on DTX that nothing more unique can be brought to bear.
And yet, DTX has perhaps always best served a role as a more proletarian shopping destination for <gasp> large chains, like the huge Woolworths that used to attract shoppers downtown.
I'm sympathetic to both sides of the argument.
Data is correct that this will be well patronized and draw lots of foot traffic. There's an urban target at the 4th Ave/Atlantic/Flatbush Brooklyn MTA&LIR stop, and it does create a lot of vibrancy at the intersection, which is also a major transit hub.
However, Rifleman is correct that it's a sad commentary on DTX that nothing more unique can be brought to bear.
And yet, DTX has perhaps always best served a role as a more proletarian shopping destination for <gasp> large chains, like the huge Woolworths that used to attract shoppers downtown.
Bos77
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Re: Filene's
We've really come full circle on this. When Filene's closed everyone fawned over the idea of Target being part of the redevelopment by Vornado of DTX. Of course it was part of a larger complex that would have had mixed activities and price points to offer. I don't think anyone thinks this is perfect.
There are no local flagship retailers to save the day here, but the idea that the downtown shopping district should have a little bit of something, for everyone, hasn't changed much. Target, for better or worse, helps fill that need.
We've really come full circle on this. When Filene's closed everyone fawned over the idea of Target being part of the redevelopment by Vornado of DTX. Of course it was part of a larger complex that would have had mixed activities and price points to offer. I don't think anyone thinks this is perfect.
There are no local flagship retailers to save the day here, but the idea that the downtown shopping district should have a little bit of something, for everyone, hasn't changed much. Target, for better or worse, helps fill that need.
stellarfun
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Re: Filene's
Maybe we can get a branch of GUM.
Anyway, Georgetown in DC is getting a Target. In this space.
Coincidence that Georgetown Park was recently bought by Vornado?
Lots of images of the future Target space here:
http://www.labelscar.com/redevelopment/the-shops-at-georgetown-park
So if Target thinks it can cut it in Georgetown Park, I would think making it in Downtown Crossing would be a snap.
Vornado is kicking Barnes & Noble out of a big store in Georgetown (Vornado owns the building, and its a separate building) so it can relocate a store or two from Georgetown Park. The Barnes and Noble, with closing of Borders, is/was last big bookstore in DC.
Maybe we can get a branch of GUM.
Anyway, Georgetown in DC is getting a Target. In this space.
Coincidence that Georgetown Park was recently bought by Vornado?
Lots of images of the future Target space here:
http://www.labelscar.com/redevelopment/the-shops-at-georgetown-park
So if Target thinks it can cut it in Georgetown Park, I would think making it in Downtown Crossing would be a snap.
Vornado is kicking Barnes & Noble out of a big store in Georgetown (Vornado owns the building, and its a separate building) so it can relocate a store or two from Georgetown Park. The Barnes and Noble, with closing of Borders, is/was last big bookstore in DC.
HenryAlan
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Re: Filene's
DTX, when it was successful, thrived because it had a few big anchor stores. True, Filenes, Jordan Marsh, and the other department stores were originally local companies, but that era is long past. The locals went out of business or were bought by conglomerates a few decades back. But that doesn't change the fact that anchor stores will make or break the area as a shopping district. Target will serve this purpose nicely.
AdamBC
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Re: Filene's
Why is everyone so concerned about the Target? It's not like they're going to be staying there forever. Currently DTX is where you go to Macy's, H&M and Marshalls and sketchy jewlery stores. If the are revives, and Target can no longer afford the rent, the space has been built out for a tenant better fitting the area. By putting a Target in a beaten up area, it will bring the kind of foot traffic that will cause the B&N and Borders spaces to be filled quicker than waiting another 10 years for a new Woolworths.
Why is everyone so concerned about the Target? It's not like they're going to be staying there forever. Currently DTX is where you go to Macy's, H&M and Marshalls and sketchy jewlery stores. If the are revives, and Target can no longer afford the rent, the space has been built out for a tenant better fitting the area. By putting a Target in a beaten up area, it will bring the kind of foot traffic that will cause the B&N and Borders spaces to be filled quicker than waiting another 10 years for a new Woolworths.
statler
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Re: Filene's
Fixed that for you.
Target serves a need, but it doesn't serve it particularly well.
Fixed that for you.
Target serves a need, but it doesn't serve it particularly well.
HenryAlan
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Re: Filene's
How do you figure? Maybe you should articulate the need so that we can assess the best way to serve it. In my opinion, the need is for pedestrian foot traffic interested in spending money. Target will bring them in, probably better than most other anchors. It's a wildly popular store, the fact that it is more often found in a suburban strip mall doesn't alter the market base at all.
How do you figure? Maybe you should articulate the need so that we can assess the best way to serve it. In my opinion, the need is for pedestrian foot traffic interested in spending money. Target will bring them in, probably better than most other anchors. It's a wildly popular store, the fact that it is more often found in a suburban strip mall doesn't alter the market base at all.
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Re: Filene's
A list of needs and Target's fulfillment of said needs:
- Groceries? Y*
- Clothing? Y
- Shoes? Y
- Jewelry? Y
- Electronics? Y
- Housewares? Y
- Garden? Y
- Toys? Y
- Seasonal? Y
*Limited grocery line or SuperTarget - the article mentions "flagship"
A list of needs and Target's fulfillment of said needs:
- Groceries? Y*
- Clothing? Y
- Shoes? Y
- Jewelry? Y
- Electronics? Y
- Housewares? Y
- Garden? Y
- Toys? Y
- Seasonal? Y
*Limited grocery line or SuperTarget - the article mentions "flagship"
statler
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Re: Filene's
It's the miles and miles of useless plastic crap you have to wade through before you can locate the useful thing you are looking for that bugs me.
Plus there is no sense of destination to their stores. A store that meets the basics needs serves it purpose. A store that does that and functions as a destination store serves it purpose well.
It's the miles and miles of useless plastic crap you have to wade through before you can locate the useful thing you are looking for that bugs me.
Plus there is no sense of destination to their stores. A store that meets the basics needs serves it purpose. A store that does that and functions as a destination store serves it purpose well.
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Re: Filene's
At the very least, Target is arguably, the nation's destination for Back to School (and maybe Holiday). Ask any college kid in this city where they went BTS shopping. With Linens 'n' Things gone, I'd say that 80-90% went to Target. Bed Bath & Beyond is another destination, but I'll bet they bought something from Target.
At the very least, Target is arguably, the nation's destination for Back to School (and maybe Holiday). Ask any college kid in this city where they went BTS shopping. With Linens 'n' Things gone, I'd say that 80-90% went to Target. Bed Bath & Beyond is another destination, but I'll bet they bought something from Target.
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