Losing Our Hen

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Very unfortunate news for Ball Square -- the White Hen is closing in March. It's the only truly useful convenience store in the blocks north of Davis. I don't know what I'm going to do without it.

As the manager explained, 7-11 bought out the chain. But 7-11 has no plans to re-open with one of their own stores. They're just shutting it down. All of the staff will lose their jobs, including him.

No more deli, no more soup, no more upscale treats (which I once complained about right here on DSLJ but later grew to love and depend upon). I might beg Yasir to buy the space and give us a convenience store again!

If anybody has any further news, I'd like to hear it.

Comments

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Your macro....it makes my heart sad! :-(

Yasir from Soundbites could run a good convenience store, and so could Chris from Ball Square Fine Wines. I really am going to suggest it to both of them.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

It's really the most professionally-run liquor store I've ever been to. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, they greet regulars by name, they order items on request if they don't stock it...they are a true win. I feel sorry for the other little liquor store (Crowley's) at the other end of Ball Square, which I guess is getting by serving the Mad Dog and Wild Irish Rose crowd. I occasionally go in there to give them some business just because I feel bad for them.

But yeah, I think a convenience store run in a style similar to the way BSFW operates would be fantastic. Ima twist his arm.

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

ever notice that Crowley's also has a Todi's sign? You'd think that when they put the Crowley's sign up, they'd take the Todi's sign down.

[svilletheatre.livejournal.com]

Ahh, good old Todi's! I went there for lunch on many early-release Wednesdays from St. Clement's, so I'm kinda glad that old sign is still up there!

~Ian/Somerville Theatre

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

What was Todi's?

[svilletheatre.livejournal.com]

Todi's was a sub shop/lunch counter. It was long and narrow and I think the space was absorbed by the liquor store.

[spatch]

That's terrible. Why would 7-11 spend money just to acquire a property and then shut it down and let everybody go? Do they really consider it that much competition for the 7-11 by Trum Field?!

Way to waste money and fuck up the local economy, 7-11. Your Slurpees aren't that worth it.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

They bought the whole chain. This was just an inevitable outcome. Duplicate coverage is always a problem when chains have overlapping territories.

[spatch]

Dunkin Donuts looks at 7-11 and says "You think that's market saturation? h0h0h0!"

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Oh god, if Dunkin opens up in that space I'm going to hang myself from the tallest oak in the park. I need a beer right this minute.

Now all I can think about is how far a schlep I'll have to make with a big bag of cat litter.

[ron_newman]

But I don't understand why they'd keep the Cedar Street one and close yours. Yours is so much nicer.

[wallacestreet.livejournal.com]

Two words: parking lot

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Yep. That probably means more lottery tickets and coffee and high dollar impulse purchases.

It also depends on if the Cedar St. location is a franchise. There usually are territory exclusivity clauses in the agreements. I know I'd be unhappy if 7-11 bought a competitor a few blocks away.

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

Technically I am sure the location by Trum field is a more ideal spot- but it is so dirty looking and I feel like it should have 2 Jay and Silent Bob dudes hanging out front! The white hen and that area in Ball Sq is nice

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

And the one at Trum is a bit of a hike, especially if you only need one thing. I sometimes go around the corner to the Hen in my pajamas with my coat over them. Its like an extension of my house is being taken away!

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

Maybe the Y-Not people can be convinced to expand?

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a hike for *you*. For me, it's actually closer. That said, I will pass it by in order to go to the White Hen if I need almost anything except a candy bar.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

I go in my slippers! (They have rugged grooved rubber soles. They're still slippers.) Now I will have to put on real shoes, and like, actually really walk places. Grumble.

BOYCOTT 7-11!!!!!!

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Heh....

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

at least there is still the now-gourmet-express in porter :D

[ron_newman]

Which is one of the very few places that serves food (hot food, even) 24 hours a day. They even have tables where you can sit down and eat it.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

exactly!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I love Gourmet Express. Pricey, but a wonderful selection and pleasant staff.

[ron_newman]

That sucks! When I went in there Saturday to buy ice for the bowling party, the guy there just said that the deli counter was going to go away, not the whole store.

Your White Hen used to be my White Hen, over here at Mass. Ave. and Day Street. I still miss it.

[808.livejournal.com]

I think it was the airplane noise that ran them out of business.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Ah, the Robot Devil is the best.

You can't have your characters just announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!

[ron_newman]

Earlier, more speculative post here.

[ron_newman]

People can get really passionate about losing their local neighborhood White Hen. Google this to read more:

"white hen" newburyport

That White Hen is threatened because the landlord would rather expand the CVS next door into the convenience store's space. There have been angry meetings and 1000-signature petitions. I'm not sure what's going to happen there now, however, with 7-11 taking over.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Interestingly enough, this White Hen used to be part of a CVS.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

This is awful! I only have a month left of running across the street just before midnight to fill my weird food cravings? What will I do now?! Not go to 7 11, that's for sure.

[vanguardcdk.livejournal.com]

Heh, I do the same thing..the 11:48 cola and chips run...

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

My last 11pm run included: one of those things of cheese and pepperoni they keep in that front display, a little bottle of pink lemonade, a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and a quart of skim milk. All except the skim milk were consumed in short order.

What will I do once they're gone? ... Lose weight, probably. But I like not having to go farther than like 50 feet! ::pout:: As my friends would say, "Yes, I know, this is a first-world problem."

[vanguardcdk.livejournal.com]

But the "rush to get there before it closes" was wonderful late-night exercise. (wiped out by cola and Chocolate Fudge Brownie...but still exercise!) ;)

[beatniktea.livejournal.com]

NO!!!!! :(

[ron_newman]

Is this a franchise? If so, I wonder why the owner can't just continue operating as a non-White Hen (and non-7-11). Is it losing its lease?

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

I vaguely remember an old thread here about the store beginning as a franchise, but being taken over by the company at some point.

[radiotelescope.livejournal.com]

Well phooey. The combination of emergency eggs, emergency butter, and emergency surprisingly nice selection of Italian pasta was something I relied on.