The New Retail Thread

Remember, the owner of the Faneuil Hall ground-lease, Ashkenazy, has been pissing off a diverse array of stakeholders for years with their misguided vision and clumsy tactics:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/12/15/merchants/uCFJHBsTD6lTKtpt0jBIsL/story.html

https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2015/05/14/street-artists-simon-waxman

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/walsh-plays-hardball-at-quincy-market/

Not blaming them. But, the combination of Faneuil Hall inevitably losing restaurant market share to other up-and-coming restaurant districts (DTX, Seaport), combined with the landlord's blunders, surely played a role alongside the restaurant's own fade/decline.
 
statler said:
Durgin Park can't close! WTF!

I don't want to hear about how "tastes are changing". It has been open since 1827. I am sure that tastes have changed a bit since then and they managed to survive that plus two world wars and a great depression.
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A real shame, probably ownership that doesn't want to put in the effort anymore and the kids are all comfortable now. I'm sure they've adjusted to a lot of 'changing tastes' over the last two centuries.

Meanwhile, Sam Adams is opening a new tap house at the old Hillstones space, so obviously demand is still there with 15M visitors per year.
 
DBM said:
Remember, the owner of the Faneuil Hall ground-lease, Ashkenazy, has been pissing off a diverse array of stakeholders for years with their misguided vision and clumsy tactics:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/12/15/merchants/uCFJHBsTD6lTKtpt0jBIsL/story.html

https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2015/05/14/street-artists-simon-waxman

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/walsh-plays-hardball-at-quincy-market/


Not blaming them. But, the combination of Faneuil Hall inevitably losing restaurant market share to other up-and-coming restaurant districts (DTX, Seaport), combined with the landlord's blunders, surely played a role alongside the restaurant's own fade/decline.
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I believe this is the one piece of real estate that is still privately owned in Faneuil Hall, maybe the LL has finally made them an offer worth taking.
 
Is this restaurant gentrification?

Just like the ground round at alewife, had a good run. Clearly not highest and best use anymore. Hope a better place replaces it. Also hope the Durgin Park in terminal E closes as well. And here’s to hoping dicks last resort leaves too.
 
Boston Globe said:
Joe O’Malley, general manager of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, said in a statement Thursday, “Durgin-Park is still under a lease agreement with Faneuil Hall Marketplace. No formal closing notification has been submitted.” Attempts to glean further comment were unsuccessful Thursday night.

{...}

Durgin-Park occupies several floors, including a basement bar called the HideOut, the street-level Gaslight Pub, a main dining room on the second floor, and another function room above that.
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Apparently they don't own the lot. I imagine the rent was pretty high for all that space.

Probably multiple points of failure here. Sucks.
 
DBM said:
Remember, the owner of the Faneuil Hall ground-lease, Ashkenazy, has been pissing off a diverse array of stakeholders for years with their misguided vision and clumsy tactics:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/12/15/merchants/uCFJHBsTD6lTKtpt0jBIsL/story.html

https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2015/05/14/street-artists-simon-waxman

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/walsh-plays-hardball-at-quincy-market/

Not blaming them. But, the combination of Faneuil Hall inevitably losing restaurant market share to other up-and-coming restaurant districts (DTX, Seaport), combined with the landlord's blunders, surely played a role alongside the restaurant's own fade/decline.
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Ark operates all three.
http://www.durginparkrestaurant.com/

Ark itself operates a hodgepodge of restaurants in several states, none of which would be characterized as fine dining.
http://arkrestaurants.com/
 
The real story here is just how completely Ashkenazy has screwed up its management and vision for Quincy Market. The spot has limitless potential and a phenomenal setting. But from the start they have failed to reimagine how the asset can be used. They have approached it with the same stale strategy as that employed in 1995. There are so many cool urban markets around the country...sadly this (one of the original) hasn't evolved. The retail tenancy is that of a failing suburban mall. The food vendors are the same bland roster that have been there for thirty years. What a shame.
 
How much say does the city have in how the Market is run? Do they just sign the lease over to Ashkenazy and say 'do your thing' or can/should they step in with more guidance as to how the Market should operate?
 
sidewalks said:
The real story here is just how completely Ashkenazy has screwed up its management and vision for Quincy Market. The spot has limitless potential and a phenomenal setting. But from the start they have failed to reimagine how the asset can be used. They have approached it with the same stale strategy as that employed in 1995. There are so many cool urban markets around the country...sadly this (one of the original) hasn't evolved. The retail tenancy is that of a failing suburban mall. The food vendors are the same bland roster that have been there for thirty years. What a shame.
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I'm intrigued. I think I have a sense of the alternative that you're suggesting here, but would love to hear you elaborate and give some examples...
 
Does anyone who is upset about this actually go to Durgin Park at all?

I was initially torn on this. On one hand, I have some very good memories of this place. One of my first memories (must be from around age 5), was having dinner here with my grandparents after going to the Disney Store (I believe there was once one in the area) and getting a 101 Dalmations stuffed animal. I also remember going with about 15 kids from high school after the 2003 Patriots Super Bowl parade. Great memories.

That being said, I wouldn't step foot in the place now. I wouldn't send a tourist there either (want cool, old timey Boston? Go to Union Oyster for atmosphere or Marliave for better food). Maybe it's time for it to go. Chalk it up to whatever you want, but the place isn't a great experience anymore. I'm a little sad to see it go because of the memories, but they're not going anywhere regardless of what happens to the restaurant.
 
I agree, the City botched this as much as Ashkenazy. But I believe that lease happened towards the very end of the Menino regime. Menino was not what anyone would call a visionary. Nice man with limited vision.

Quincy Market's food vendors bring nothing to the table. Look at all the innovation and creativity coming from food trucks and microbreweries. The city should have had a clause restricting tenancy to groups with less than 10 stores at time of occupancy. Who wants to visit Sephora in Quincy Market??? Small boutiques like Olives and Grace in the South End or Uniform or restauranteurs like Daryl Settles who brings in a diverse audience and good music.
 
I'm mad that they let it get to this point. It could have and should have been avoided. Not enough effort went into even trying keep the doors open. Even some advertising, or changing the signage up a bit, tweaking (not overhauling) the menu. And if they still couldn't fill seats, just doing an interview with the Globe or Boston Magazine saying they might have to close the doors if business doesn't pick up would probably have bought them at least another year.

This is a restaurant that survived 192 years through a civil war, two world wars, rationing, the introduction of minimum wage, the introduction of income tax, the rise of Modernism, blizzards, the hollowing out of Boston's core, urban renewal, the construction of the Central Artery, the Big Dig, the introduction of Inspectional Services, the Great Recession, etc.

Past owners were able to overcome all sorts of changes of tastes, poor economic conditions and a myriad of government regulation changes, but somehow these guys just can't figure it out.
 
And again, they managed to survive the original introduction of minimum wage, so...
 
And again, they managed to survive the original introduction of minimum wage, so...
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They're open to selling so feel free to make an offer.
 
CSTH said:
I'm intrigued. I think I have a sense of the alternative that you're suggesting here, but would love to hear you elaborate and give some examples...
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Pike Place in Seattle comes to mind for me. Lots of cool / funky shops & local vendors. Only big corporate brand in sight is the original Starbucks across the street.
 
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