diesel

[noire.livejournal.com]

Diesel Cafe is currently in a bidding war with a national chain for their lease. It's going to be hard, but they're trying to find ways to survive. That does mean prices might go up a bit, but...

If you want to support a unique local institution, drop by and get a cookie or something.

Let's support our quirky local hang-outs and leave the big chains a couple of stops down the Red Line.

Comments

[srl.livejournal.com]

I'd seen their sign about prices going up, but I hadn't realized there was a bidding war going on.

Do we know which chain?

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

The chain's identity is left carefully unstated in the explanatory note at the Diesel. I got the feeling legal issues prohibit them from revealing too many details.

[the-leila.livejournal.com]

That's too bad, I'll be sure to stop in more often in an effort to help.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

what national chain? there's already a mcd's, a starbucks, a dunkin' donuts.... i'd totally pay more for my coffee so they can stay. no one else in davis makes vietnamese coffee.

[cutieperson]

*boggle*

there's already a Starfucks across the street they have to compete with!

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I looked at their website (http://www.diesel-cafe.com/main.html), but unfortunately the "Press" section is under construction. Not sure what I was hoping to find, really...maybe a clue as to the identity of the mystery bidder, I guess.

[toodleskitty.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear! Support the Diesel!!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Amen. Davis doesn't want or need another chain establishment of anything. Diesel is wonderful -- lets keep supporting it.

[crypticusername.livejournal.com]

Are you people not aware that all the establishments in Davis Sqaure can be replaced with a single instituion?!

WALMART!

I propose to replace Davis sqaure with Walmart.

hmmmm

[cthulhia]

consider taking this up with the somerville gov't, who may be willing to pressure the building-owner into not having any more national chains in that lost.

some sort of zoning ordinance, etc., to retain the cultural appeal of somerville's most successful neighborhood? (I don't know if it is the most lucrative neighborhood as well.)

[shinxy.livejournal.com]

Just one more reason to patronize Someday instead, ya big hipster jerks.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Oh, like there's any room in Someday. The only way they could *handle* more hipster patrons is to forget about cups and just squirt the coffee at people through hoses.

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

Snork!

I nearly lost my coffee through my nose when I read this comment...

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

all the better for recycling and reusing.

[signsoflife.livejournal.com]

There's a hell of a lot more room in the Someday since Diesel opened. The staff's nicer than they used to be, too.

'Course, Starbucks now handles the overflow from both.

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

I'd like to hear the name of this big chain. Right now it feels like "everyone! run!! the big scary thing is coming to get us!"

[danger-chick.livejournal.com]

I agree that this sounds very FUDy. As much as want Diesel to stay, they need to find a way to make a profit and keep prices down.

[othniel77.livejournal.com]

Diesel is my #1 favorite hangout in the (suburban) Boston area. I'll certainly continue to support them. H*ll, if I were a millionaire, I'd buy the place myself, just to guarantee its continued existence.

I wonder what the chain is - Java Joe's?

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

Peet's is one chain that doesn't have presence in Davis Square. I've no idea if it's them, but if the "national chain" part of the rumor is true, then it's possible.

I like Peet's, but I'd rather have Diesel.

Thank You

[kissoflife.livejournal.com]

for this announcement. Personally, I don't need to hear what the big chain is, any move toward a more 'genericized' feel to Diesel would wreck it, I say.
I don't hate big chains on principle, I hate loss of a place with funky character and reasonable rates. We don't want what happened to Harvard Square, do we?!!

I think some appeal to the real estate mgmt company, via Somerville govt or another way, maybe angel assistance to the present Diesel management, is what's needed. We all rely on that place for our various funky alternative meetings- It'd suck big time to lose that while they "upgrade their image" or some other nightmare.

Re: Thank You

[srl.livejournal.com]

It's not so much the "image upgrade", it's the fact that they'll have to keep raising their prices to customers in order to not get bid out of their current space by a national chain offering the landlord more money.

Re: Thank You

[leighjen.livejournal.com]

And by raising prices, making it harder to support them, since we are all being hit by the tight economy.

Re: Thank You

[srl.livejournal.com]

Well, "all"--- except for the national chains. Bleh.

Re: Thank You

[leighjen.livejournal.com]

:-)

Point.

[cold-cold-water.livejournal.com]

i just went there and bought a cookie and asked some questions and the counter guy answered (mostly ?s that were asked here -- "who's it going to be? is it official?") with a lot of "i don't know"s. he pointed me to a notice posted on the wall which was essentially an explanation of why prices are going to go up and said how they're up in the air right now..

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know who Diesel's landlord is and how to contact them?