The New Retail Thread

cjbski said:
I was told that it's reopening in the Prudential Mall - space and timing TBD.
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Woah. The Pru is a terrible location for Brooks. I was going to post today on this thread that Capital One Cafe has started renovating the spot on Boylston that used to be The Tannery (Exeter) even though they are already located in the old Anthropology building at the other end of the same block (Fairfield). I figured it was part of the upbuild of the building that includes Abe $ Louis....

This just confuses me. The Tannery location (3
floors and it's own address) would of been perfect spot for Brooks Brothers. The mall!? I hate to sound like a prick, but Brooks Brothers in a mall...oof. The only spot I can think of in the mall is that of the private bank that had space in the Huntington Arcade across from the information desk. That is truly very bad.
 
www.bostonglobe.com

In Beacon Hill, a big new bookstore comes to life at last - The Boston Globe

Beacon Hill Books and Cafe is a maze of pale blue shelves, hundreds of titles, and an enchanting children's floor on Charles Street.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com

Tucked near the entrance of Beacon Hill Books and Cafe is a tiny room for the imaginary squirrel that calls the shelves home. Paige, the store’s furried and four-legged mascot, has a bed, fireplace, and desk — one of many places where she reads books by night. On one wall of her abode: a re-creation of the Rembrandt painting stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990.

The setup captures the whimsy of the five-story bookshop, which will open on Charles Street later this month.
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The store’s collection covers the literary basics, as well a few specialty sections chosen by manager Irene MacDonald: “Around the World,” “Food for Thought,” and Persephone Books, a British publisher that reprints works by women authors of the 19th and 20th century. A deep red room boasts one of the largest offerings of interior design books in New England. And a hodgepodge of children’s titles — for infants to young adults — fills the fourth floor, which Fetter designed to emulate the nursery in “Mary Poppins.”
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A cafe alongside will also serve lunch and afternoon English tea before morphing into an evening lounge with wine and snacks. (“Think of it as a kind of place for women after work, looking for a place to relax,” Fetter said.) And a long table on the second floor is the backdrop for catered events, led by chef Colleen Suhanosky of Rifrullo.
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With the help of Pauli and Uribe Architects, Fetter redid the wiring and installed an elevator, but she kept the interior layout in its original 1800s style. Any remaining ornamental elements are her vision. Fabrics and wallpaper come courtesy of Cathy Kincaid, an interior designer best known for decorating residences,
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^^The 'home' of the imaginary squirrel who reads books at night.

This new bookstore seems such a delight that I pray it will be wildly popular and successful.
 
Cortes said:
Woah. The Pru is a terrible location for Brooks. I was going to post today on this thread that Capital One Cafe has started renovating the spot on Boylston that used to be The Tannery (Exeter) even though they are already located in the old Anthropology building at the other end of the same block (Fairfield). I figured it was part of the upbuild of the building that includes Abe $ Louis....

This just confuses me. The Tannery location (3
floors and it's own address) would of been perfect spot for Brooks Brothers. The mall!? I hate to sound like a prick, but Brooks Brothers in a mall...oof. The only spot I can think of in the mall is that of the private bank that had space in the Huntington Arcade across from the information desk. That is truly very bad.
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Brooks Brothers’ quality and breadth of offerings have diminished considerably over the years leading up to their bankruptcy and since the acquisition by Authentic Brands. A mall is exactly where they belong.
 
On my walk to the T this morning, I noticed that there is a Tasty Burger going into a storefront on Prospect St in Central Square.
 
This is somewhat off-topic but I'm still waiting for Logan's first terminal location of Tasty Burger as it seems to check off a lot of the typical qualifications such as local staple, has alcohol, easy-to-churn menu items. Hopefully one opens soon.
 
This is good news for beer fans: Providence’s Long Live Beerworks is opening a Boston location. They announced it yesterday. They didn’t give an address, but it looks like 152 Hampden St. - the former Backlash taproom and current Flying Embers location (they must be closing/relocating). Long Live is one of my favorite breweries in New England, so this is a win.


Long Live's Website (not much here at present): https://www.longlivebeerworks.com/long-live-boston
 
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Finally checked out High Street Place this morning. It's small, but pleasant, and anywhere with Gracenote and Blackbird outposts is a win for me! Lots of nice seating outside as well on a quiet street.

High St Place.JPG
 
#bancars said:
Finally checked out High Street Place this morning. It's small, but pleasant, and anywhere with Gracenote and Blackbird outposts is a win for me! Lots of nice seating outside as well on a quiet street.
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I'd add that, if you have 30 min+ to kill waiting for a train out of South Station, I always opt for the Alewives pub at HSP over the South Station tavern. The bartender who's there a lot is quite amiable, and it's just more pleasant overall than South Station (to not even speak of the edge in bathroom amenities...)
 
I like HSP, but I wish they had chosen some materials that gave the space more character and texture. The flooring etc, makes it feel like a slightly more well designed mall food court.
 
citydave said:
I like HSP, but I wish they had chosen some materials that gave the space more character and texture. The flooring etc, makes it feel like a slightly more well designed mall food court.
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Interesting take. The area inside/outside where you eat seems fine to me, the back hallway areas where some of the food stalls are felt like this a little.
 
citydave said:
I like HSP, but I wish they had chosen some materials that gave the space more character and texture. The flooring etc, makes it feel like a slightly more well designed mall food court.
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Doesn't that very basic/bland "base palette" accentuate the wonderful vibrant riot of competing signage from the various food kiosks stand out all the more? The point is for the eye to be wandering from one colorful food kiosk sign to another, and to not be distracted by the flooring et al.--right?

Anyway, I always find it to be a wonderful synergy: the blend of delicious food aromas experienced simultaneous with the bombardment of signage... too bad that doesn't occur "organically" outside of, say, Pearl Street in Chinatown and a few other select districts, I suppose...
 
HSP has good tenants but it feels like a food court for sure. The lighting is truly awful, especially after dark when it's anything but a bar vibe. They could fix it with some new lights.
 
cjbski said:
HSP has good tenants but it feels like a food court for sure. The lighting is truly awful, especially after dark when it's anything but a bar vibe. They could fix it with some new lights.
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Interesting--I've only ever been during the day. I thought the ceilings feel a little low where the vendors are, but the main hall and the outdoor area look and feel great to me.
 
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