The New Retail Thread

Oh my, God I know! How can these people debase themselves by eating SUBURBAN burritos?! Don't they know they could have a literary-themed coffee house or chemistry-themed juice bar like real people who live meaningful lives?
 
czsz said:
Also, let's not pretend this debate has anything to do with "the cutting edge" vs. "the historic" in Boston. There's nothing "cutting edge" about Chipotle, which is part of the point.
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No one said it was. The cutting edge debate stemmed from the collective outrage that always happens whenever a historic building is reused for something other than its original purpose. If trivial issues such as this (a beautifully-tasteful retrofit) are a problem, then the city on a larger scale is never going to progress forward in terms of the built environment.
 
I'll take an 8 dollar burrito over and 8 dollar ounce of chocolate.
Maybe I'll meet in the middle and spend a buck fifty on a choco taco.
 
underground said:
Oh my, God I know! How can these people debase themselves by eating SUBURBAN burritos?! Don't they know they could have a literary-themed coffee house or chemistry-themed juice bar like real people who live meaningful lives?
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Huh? Who said anything about people debasing themselves? I like Chipotle; I eat there; I just don't want to see it in this building, which I think calls for something more unique. Christ.
 
This is gonna sound worse than I intend but did anyone ever think that there are a certain breed of tourist who /like/ the how it worked out with Chipotle? They are eating food they know in an "historic" building. I can't tell you how many times I walk to the library and hear a tourist happily exclaim, "Oooh!! Pizzaria Uno's! Let's go there!" It just kills me.
 
choo said:
The buildings are old, but I don't think all of its past uses were any more admirable than a chipotle. The buildings been around so long because it has been able to be adapted to the uses of the time.

[tangent alert] This reveals one of the issues with historic preservation. Sometimes it enshrines and mystifies the past and just makes it useless. Boston has been able to maintain its distinct character because it has found ways to integrate its past history. I worry mainly that because it is so concerned about the past that it won't be innovative in design or thinking in the future so as to not 'ruin' the past.
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There's a photo in Cityscapes of Boston from 1960 that shows the building housing a pizza place, with billboards covering half the façade. Robert Campbell pretty much writes what you are observing, that buildings are often more interesting when they have layers of past uses, rather than turned into a sort of Disneyfied Main Street USA building glorifying a past that might not have ever been.
 
Unfortunately, Boston also tends toward the opposite extreme: mallifying its past. See also: Fanueil Hall Marketplace.
 
czsz said:
I just don't want to see it in this building, which I think calls for something more unique. Christ.
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So then what exactly is the harm of having the Chipotle here and what is the benefit of having something more "unique?" Is "uniqueness" some sort of benefit over having what is obviously a very well used burrito place?
 
underground said:
So then what exactly is the harm of having the Chipotle here and what is the benefit of having something more "unique?" Is "uniqueness" some sort of benefit over having what is obviously a very well used burrito place?
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I can't understand why it's so difficult to understand that someone could want more than a chain burrito shop for such a historic structure. You're reading too far into CZ's opinion.
 
I just think its a pointless and fruitless endeavor to say this building is historic and therefor must have _________ .
 
Lrfox said:
I can't understand why it's so difficult to understand that someone could want more than a chain burrito shop for such a historic structure. You're reading too far into CZ's opinion.
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All of the "unique-r" uses that have been suggested would get at most half of the business and foot traffic that Chipotle is bringing to the area. People cry about DTX being empty and when something finally goes in somewhere they complain about it being a mall. I have no problem whatsoever with DTX eventually becoming an outdoor version of South Shore Plaza because in this day and age chain retail is what brings crowds. See: Stephansplatz, Vienna
 
whenever a historic building is reused for something other than its original purpose
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Although the building has historic uses associated with bookselling and publishing, was it originally a bookstore or printer when first built?
 
underground said:
I just think its a pointless and fruitless endeavor to say this building is historic and therefor must have _________ .
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Sure... but there's very little on this forum that actually serves a purpose other than our own entertainment. I don't imagine myself spending an evening on the beach with Bar Rafaeli because I think It's going to be "fruitful." I do it it because it's fun and if I could, I would.

I agree that there's nothing to gain by lamenting the business that located in a historic structure. I don't doubt that Chipotle will be very successful there. However, I'd be pretty surprised if anyone on archboston would say that can't think of a more ideal use for that location. Even if it is pure fantasy. This is the appropriate venue for that type of thought.

datadyne007 said:
All of the "unique-r" uses that have been suggested would get at most half of the business and foot traffic that Chipotle is bringing to the area. People cry about DTX being empty and when something finally goes in somewhere they complain about it being a mall. I have no problem whatsoever with DTX eventually becoming an outdoor version of South Shore Plaza because in this day and age chain retail is what brings crowds. See: Stephansplatz, Vienna
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Nor do I. It's just that Chipotle ranks pretty low on the list of places I like even in a mall. If we're talking mall, it would make a great Coach store, Lindt or Godiva (to go mainstream with the chocolate shop idea), Belden Jewelers, Swarovski, or any of the smaller boutique clothing/ accessory stores, etc. I'd prefer all of those over a Chipotle.
 
I have no problem with Downtown Crossing being a mall either -- more or less. It's just that there are plenty of anonymous buildings there that can be filled with anonymous mall stores and restaurants and something different would have been nice in this case.
 
Lrfox said:
However, I'd be pretty surprised if anyone on archboston would say that can't think of a more ideal use for that location.
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My question still is why isn't Chipotle ideal as you put it? The answers so far seem to be "it's not unique," "something better could go there," and "because it's a historic building," which are all emotional responses. If I'm going to hate on Chipotle in the Old Corner Bookstore, I'm going to need a solid reason. Show me the harm and don't just tell me it's "because."
 
I literally can't finish a Chipotle burrito without having to take a shit. I don't know what it is, but I'll be like 3/4 of the way through and I have to put it down and race-walk to the bathroom. Sucks because I like the food too.
 
underground said:
My question still is why isn't Chipotle ideal as you put it? The answers so far seem to be "it's not unique," "something better could go there," and "because it's a historic building," which are all emotional responses. If I'm going to hate on Chipotle in the Old Corner Bookstore, I'm going to need a solid reason. Show me the harm and don't just tell me it's "because."
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Again, you're reading WAY too much into people's opinions. I don't think anyone cares about your opinion or trying to change it. There isn't necessarily any harm being done. They are emotional responses and the reason why is because it's a generic chain fast food shop occupying space in an extremely historic structure. I have no problem with Chipotle in DTX, but I think it would be better suited any of the dozens of more generic storefronts in the area. Likewise, I think you could easily fit a more aesthetically pleasing business in that storefront; even if it is a chain (see above examples of jeweler, accessories, chocolatier, etc).

If it makes it easier for you, think of it like a debate about music. It's a matter of taste and preference and little else.
 
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