Urban Planning gone wrong

[m00n.livejournal.com]

While we are on the topic of community development, does anyone have an explanation for there now being a third convenience store in Teele Square within view of the other two?



Beyond the fact that I don't feel like these stores contribute much (if anything) to the community, I'm kind of wondering how it is that this neighborhood can even support three of them (four if you count the Indian market down the street that sells pretty much all the same stuff).

I don't mean to be such a community troll about these things, but I live in that neighborhood and it is starting to get a little depressing...

Comments

[ron_newman]

This may sound odd coming from me, but if the market won't support all those stores, some of them will fail and close and become something else. Zoning codes don't dictate the exact nature of retail stores, and (due to 'grandfather provisions') I doubt that any of these needed any kind of public hearing to open.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about the market, but that said, I'm actually a little skeptical that all of the forces are playing fair here since I find it so hard to believe that so many could survive together in such a small vicinity.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

And now that I think about it, I wouldn't mind them nearly as much if they didn't seem to do the absolute minimum amount of work to make their businesses look nice from the outside.

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

this. Also, an unnecessary convenience store is better than an empty shop front, right? and that place has been empty for months. Maybe it'll distinguish itself somehow? dunno.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it saves some number of people from having to cross a street.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

And THANK GOD FOR THAT! ;-)

[veda815.livejournal.com]

That model certainly works for dunkin' donuts. How many neighborhoods in MA have we seen with two Dunks - one across the street from the other? And they still always have lines out the door in the a.m.

[turil.livejournal.com]

In a depression (social or personal) people resort to the quick and easy fixes fit their emotional highs - junk food, alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets and other legalish drugs.

From what I can tell the economy could continue to survive even in the worst of times if most stores sold nothing but chocolate...

But people also like to have choice! And, as Hrafn points out, there's the convenience factor of not having to put one's life any more at risk than necessary by crossing streets where Massholes are driving. :-)

Up where I am on Spring Hill a second convenience store just opened about 30 feet away from the one that's been there for a while on the corner of Lowell and Highland.

If you want something better, my guess is that you've got to do it yourself. Or at least find someone you can convince to do it for you. (I'd like a raw foods grocery store and deli in Davis, if anyone finds me convincing...)

[ron_newman]

I didn't go into the new store at Lowell and Highland yet, but I think the sign says it specializes in Haitian or Caribbean foods.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

Not to mention that new convenience store on Highland in Spring Hill is doors away from one that folded too!

I had similar reactions to the OP's each time a new burrito place opened in Davis Sq, and when the CVS opened in Davis, not far from the Rite Aid.

Pizza

[wombatbanana.livejournal.com]

On a similar note, I was surprised when the space next to the new Guru opened up and turned out to be another pizza place. Not that I have anything against pizza or its places, and I wish them the best, but either pizzerias must have extremely low operating expenses or there's more demand for pizza in the area than I'd've guessed.

Re: Pizza

[m00n.livejournal.com]

I had this same thought when that place opened up. I just wish that if they do insist on selling pizza, that they'd at least do something to differentiate themselves from every other pizza place in the entire city. It's almost like it's a bad franchise, except that it's not...or at least it doesn't appear to be.

And yeah, I think there's something special about pizza places and convenience stores wherein the customer base cares so little about what the place looks like or what eclectic items are on the menu that they can pretty much get by on only the bare necessities of doing business.

On the flip side though, no one is *ever* going to make Teele Square a destination because of either of these two places.

Re: Pizza

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Wasn't that actually a pizza place a long time before something happened and it was damaged/rendered unusable? I think that was the pizzeria that was there before coming back..

Re: Pizza

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

pizzerias must have extremely low operating expenses or there's more demand for pizza in the area than I'd've guessed.
this. flour, water, salt and yeast are all extremely cheap, and tomato sauce and cheese aren't exactly pricey either. all you need is a counter to make the dough and to make a pizza, and an oven, and you're pretty much set. everything else is optional.

The Future

[turil.livejournal.com]

Soon, every store will be Taco Bell. And we'll all know what to do with the three shells in the bathroom...

Re: The Future

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Will someone please tell me what the hell is up with the three seashells!?

We need a good Asian food store.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

I miss that closed down one in Porter Sq already.

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

It's actually not that uncommon to have multiple convenience stores in the same neighborhood. You definitely see it in other parts of Somerville as well. I think most of them make their money on lottery tickets and phone cards.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Now there's an idea!

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Teele Square Convenience is also an Indian grocery and has a range of selection that can only be described as absurd. They fit a lot of stuff in there, and in an area with a much smaller footprint than Neighborhood.

Also, I'd rather have convenience stores than empty storefronts.

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

I live in Teele too and I have to agree that a 3rd of these stores is overkill...why can't we get a coffee shop that is open for hanging out, wifi, reading etc.

Also the place next to PJ's is vacant again (Holland St Cafe in it's last incarnation)but they painted over the sign so I think something is going in. I keep wanting something to succeed, but it seems like whomever keeps going in there has little to no business sense.

[obie119.livejournal.com]

On the corner where the new convenience store is - it was a cell phone store (whoopie!) and a real estate office before that.
I always thought Teele Square needs an ice cream place - and not a half-hearted and somewhat dirty attempt like the everchanging spot current d.b.a. Holland Street Cafe.

Ice cream is a little harder in Teele than in Davis because there's fewer outdoor spots for eating it, but I still feel there's always a need for ice cream :)

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

I just saw a sign in the window of teele sq. cafe that said they had "Christine's Ice Cream" now :)

[obie119.livejournal.com]

You can more or less use Teele Square Cafe as a coffeeshop, I think..

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

Teele Square market has a great selection of ben and jerry's icecream. And the proprietor is quite friendly. It's the furthest of the three from my house, but definitely my favorite.

Neighborhood market seems to survive solely by selling lottery tickets to degenerates. Their ice cream is all freezer burned.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Pretty much anything Teele Square DOESN'T have (which isn't much) Neighborhood will.

Teele Square Market is actually a great place. I was looking for a common medication and the owner, who didn't have it in stock, offered me some of his.

[daviscubed.livejournal.com]

Teele Sq. Market has very friendly owners. I like them a lot, along with the guy at Hodgkins Spa.

Quick Hodgkins Spa story - I needed, like, a stick of butter or something for some corn I was cooking. I hustled over to Hodgkins, only to realize I had forgot something important - money. The guy there let me just pay for it later (granted, he probably saw me once a week at that time).

Convenience stores are there for convenience and not much else, but sometimes there's a reason why some stay in business and others do not. Here's hoping the Teele Square market stays strong, along with Hodgkins Spa (nothing really against Neighborhood Market, but I've only been there a couple of times).

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

Is calling a store like that a "SPA" a Mass thing? I've seen it a few other places and was wondering what that was about, does anyone happen to know?

Sometime they are front operations.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

For something else. Not saying THESE are. But they could. And that would explain how they stay in business.

Re: Sometime they are front operations.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Funny, this is the very first thing my co-worker, who also lives in Somerville, said.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

I actually put this exact question to the guy at the new place, and he said (paraphrased, but close enough) "well, there's lots of people in the area, so we don't think there will be any problem".

[ron_newman]

Did he say anything about how he intends to differentiate his merchandise from his competitors?