The New Retail Thread

^Thanks for enlightening me Brad...I always hated the building and wished they'd redo the facade, but now I'll think of it differently, particularly if they spiff it up and get it to represent the Bauhaus a bit more.
 
Funny how some see Bauhaus (?!) while I see something that was bargain basement when new and something worse now.

I hate how the final bay facing Boylston is a different width than all the others...reeks of apathy and a time when Boston was sliding into oblivion. This ain't Ed Logue's brave New Boston, folks.
 
^I'm sure it sounds more eloquent in french but its definitely not a great US bakery name.
 
I had Paul a lot in London. Just a more chichi version of Au Bon Pain.
 
I'm all for new retail business coming to town, but I have to say I'm surprised at the location. The Irish Pub that was in the One Boston Place retail space was somewhat lost in the shuffle on that block and never seemed to fill up. It's a somewhat awkward location. With its proxmity to so many banking/financial institutions, I always thought that storefront would have been more condusive to a "ScottTrade" or "Wells Fargo" type retail-financial concept.
 
I think the place at One Boston Place's problem was that it felt more like a Holiday Inn conference room somewhere on an Interstate than an Irish Pub. "Cozy" it was not.
 
Shepard said:
I had Paul a lot in London. Just a more chichi version of Au Bon Pain.
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I disagree that it is a chi-chi version of Au Bon Pain unless by "chi-chi version" you mean qualitatively light years better. I rarely stop at them in Paris as you're spoiled for choice with the local boulangeries, but the few times I've grabbed a croissant or sandwich at a Paul (actually two days ago at CDG), it has been up to acceptably Parisian standards which Au Bon Pain doesn't approximate. That being said, a Paul using American ingredients may indeed be closer to Au Bon Pain... This will be a good experiment.
 
kz1000ps said:
Funny how some see Bauhaus (?!) while I see something that was bargain basement when new and something worse now.

I hate how the final bay facing Boylston is a different width than all the others...reeks of apathy and a time when Boston was sliding into oblivion. This ain't Ed Logue's brave New Boston, folks.
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It's Bauhaus enough for me. A good overhaul and cleaning will do wonders and ideally there would be signage using individual neon/LED letters running down the front corner of the middle 5 floors or along the top floor railing on both sides. Apathetic? I think not. It took a bit of nerve to build this at a time of catastrophic private-sector disinvestment.

Finally, as this is a retail thread, dump the ground floor bank and build out a Sonsie style restaurant. Couldn't ask for a better location.
 
Brad Plaid said:
Some lovin' is hopefully all that is happening here. This is classic Bauhaus.
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Brad -- given that prime location -- surrounded by great works from the late 19th Century -- that's the least contextually appropriate building in the entire Back Bay
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The only thing -- that thankfully is gone -- that was worse -- was the City of Boston Parking Garage where the current P.J Ode to 30's Radios is located

Come to think about it -- PJ's build is in the running for the title as well

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While reviewing the surroundings I keep coming up with other major mistakes -- I propose a new list of inappropriate buildings for their surroundings:
1) 535 Boylston St.
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feel free to add on
 
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I didn't know 500 and 535 Boylston were getting new retail tenants!
 
davem said:
I didn't know 500 and 535 Boylston were getting new retail tenants!
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Davem -- I found the pix of 535 through a Google of 535 Boylston that connected to a real estate ad -- so I'm not sure if it was retail or small office

As for 500 -- haven't checked recently, but I'm sure something is coming or going

Since this thread is supposed to be New Retail -- I find it more often about old favorite closing than a real New Retailer opening

But I digress -- Here's the New Retail component:

to encourage New Retail in the Back Bay -- it would help to build fewer buildings than the ones recently discussed above
 
I'm with kz on the building itself: it's not a good example of anything. You may see Bauhaus, but it's a cheap developer grade V.E.'d take on whatever it is.

...but this is Genius:
Brad Plaid said:
dump the ground floor bank and build out a Sonsie style restaurant. Couldn't ask for a better location.
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Use half that wide sidewalk for tables, Parisian style - with awnings and patio heaters it would be usable 9 months of the year. In that location, it could be iconic.
 
"Paul" has opened a number of locations in Moscow in the last year. I've never tried it, but its design and clientele mark it as of the most obnoxious places in the city.
 
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Capital One is essentially an online bank. Nobody will do their banking here.

Capital One is not a coffee shop. Nobody will be purchasing espresso here. In general I harbor a dim view of peoples' intelligence but I don't think anyone will be at all lured by this gimmick.

Another stretch of streetscape falls prey to the live-action banking billboard. Especially sad for Coolidge Corner which is already disproportionately bankified.
 
Oh good. The prime location in Coolidge Corner that has sat empty for over 18 months will be used again.
 
itchy said:
"Paul" has opened a number of locations in Moscow in the last year. I've never tried it, but its design and clientele mark it as of the most obnoxious places in the city.
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I went to a Paul location in Prague earlier this year for a bit of a light lunch, and was pretty impressed with the quality of the food for a reasonable price. It was in Prague so prices on most items were generally cheaper than the rest of the Eurozone, but I think it will be a great addition.
 
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