davis_square | New posh toy store opening in Porter Square

mzrowan.livejournal.com posting in

davis_square

Henry Bear's Park is opening a store where Corners, the framing place, used to be in Porter Square.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

ron_newman

I'd call this a toy store rather than a baby store, unless they've changed their focus lately.

From:

mzrowan.livejournal.com

Good point!

From:

ron_newman

They'll be competing with Stellabella Toys, right around the corner on Mass. Ave.

I'm intrigued that the toy business has returned to small local stores like these two, after several large-scale bankruptcies and mass closings of national chains.

From:

cnoocy

Stellabella has opened a third location in Wayside Commons, a mini-mall adjunct to Burlington Mall. Not a traditional small toy store location!

From:

ron_newman

Wayside Commons is actually not adjacent to Burlington Mall, but rather on Route 3/3A right before 128. The shopping center's best-known store is LL Bean.

From:

cnoocy

Not adjacent, but definitely placed in an attempt to pick up mall traffic. Regardless, the center is filled with nationwide chains, making Stellabella an oddity for the location.

From:

ron_newman

True. But you wouldn't want to walk from the mall to Wayside, because it's nearly two miles away and substantially uphill.

(For six very unhappy weeks, I worked across the street from where Wayside Commons is today. There was very little within reasonable walking distance. I'd probably have been less unhappy if Wayside Commons had existed then.)

Edited Date: 2009-05-26 06:54 pm (UTC)

From:

ron_newman

Also nearby: Barefoot Books.

Between these three stores and Curious George in Harvard Square, your kids may never need to shop anywhere else.

From:

mzrowan.livejournal.com

Well, assuming you have the income to support that habit.

From:

m-b-w.livejournal.com

I believe that Henry Bear's Park is not opening up another store but moving their Huron Ave. store to Porter Square. Considering the similarity between their merchandise and Stella Bella's, it should be interesting!

From:

ifotismeni

i work right next to it now and sadly there is still little within walking distance, unless you want to hang out at chuck e cheese.

From:

ron_newman

Well at least you now have a Borders bookstore. I don't remember what eating places are in Wayside. There was a Panera Bread across Route 3 in the Roche Bros. shopping center, but I don't know if it's still there.

From:

mamajoan.livejournal.com

Yeah, the furor over lead and other toxins in toys (and baby items) has resulted in some interesting changes in the toy-store industry.

From:

mamajoan.livejournal.com

On the flip side, if it's a Toys-R-Us habit you're trying to support, you need a fair amount of gas money in this area!

From:

prunesnprisms.livejournal.com

Huh, husband works right next to it now, too! small world.

From:

ukelele.livejournal.com

And Porter Square Books!

From:

bobobb.livejournal.com

Thought I'd add that there is also a kids/baby toy/clothing shop in Ball Square called Twinkle Star. Ball Square has just started to turn around to include fun shops like this one, so it would be cool to throw them some business if you need anything baby-related.

From:

turil.livejournal.com

Did the Toys-R-Us in Fresh Pond go away?

From:

turil.livejournal.com

And there's a new diaper shop (never knew they existed) up on Highland Ave, on Spring Hill.

From:

mamajoan.livejournal.com

Yes, several years ago. I believe it's a Staples now.

From:

shana-lyons.livejournal.com

It's long gone-- like for at least a year. It's been long enough that they've rebuilt the space into a Modell's Sports.

From:

benndragon.livejournal.com

Yup, replaced by a sporting goods store (http://www.modells.com/storeLocator/details.jsp).

From:

shana-lyons.livejournal.com

I shopped at Twinkle Star over Christmas for some gifts for my nieces and nephews. I have to say they were very helpful when it came to making size and item suggestions. It's a great place to go if you're clueless about what to purchase for kids. Recommended, for sure. I hope they stick around.

From:

purpless77.livejournal.com

I've never heard of this store. Though as an adult who shops for kids sometimes I am glad to see a near by toy store. I haven't heard of the other one mentioned either. It's been a while since I've been on Mass Ave.

I remember The Children's Workshop which used to be near the stationary store. That place had a lot of great stuff but was WAY too expensive aside from the stickers. Toys R Us could be pricy but at least the average consumer and average resident in this area could afford some items. So hopefully this store isn't like The Children's Workshop and is actually affordable.

From:

squonk.livejournal.com

I would've much preferred a pet supply store. :-P

From:

eeyorecol.livejournal.com

That's Diaper Lab (http://diaperlab.com/), 201a Highland

I have not been there personally, but I have heard fantastic things about it

From:

http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/

I have been considering starting my own business or buying a local one, but getting the funds together has proven difficult

From:

ron_newman

They've been in Arlington for a few years now.

From:

pearlythebunny.livejournal.com

What the world needs is a mobile oil-change company. Someone who would come to your car while you are at work and change your oil, so you don't have to take time off from work to take your car into a shop or one of those 10-minute oil change places with long lines and inconvenient hours.

Can you start a business like that?

From:

icecreamempress.livejournal.com

Really? The Huron store was the original store. It seems odd to move that one, because Huron Village is such a rich-people-with-little-kids neighborhood.