Pinkberry not giving up on Davis Square - now has petition online

[ron_newman]

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pinkberrydavissquare/

"We, the undersigned, support the application to locate a Pinkberry frozen yogurt shop at 263 Elm Street, a/k/a 5 Davis Square in the Davis Square section of Somerville. We believe that there is a need for Pinkberry, despite the presence of other frozen yogurt sellers in Davis Square, because the Pinkberry product and experience are unique, in part, due to the fact that the yogurt is uniquely tangy, the shop is not self-service, and the ambiance and products appeal to a clientele not currently being met by other businesses in Davis Square."

For those just joining us, some background:
http://davis-square.livejournal.com/3053494.html
http://davis-square.livejournal.com/3046429.html
http://davis-square.livejournal.com/3037607.html
http://davis-square.livejournal.com/3022627.html

(these are in reverse chronological order)

Comments

[londo.livejournal.com]

Can we use that space to bring Spike's back instead?

[ron_newman]

+1

[thespian.livejournal.com]

you know, I was pretty indifferent to this, but their petition actually got me pretty pissed off. Seriously? Petitioning a local government because you want your god damned froyo store? I even prefer the tarter Berryline and Pinkberry style, but I want nothing to do with them anymore. This is pretty crap.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Isn't there one of these over on Mass Ave down near Harvard already? I swear.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

omg o_O

really?

[teko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, have fun with that, Pinkberry.

[ron_newman]

I'm not going to sign the petition, but I disagree with you. The chain needs approval from the local zoning board in order to convert this storefront from an office use to a fast-food use, and the zoning board was about to deny it when they withdrew the application.

One of the criteria that the zoning board uses is whether there is a perceived 'need' for this particular fast-food business. The opponents presented a petition against Pinkberry, so why shouldn't Pinkberry present their own petition in support?

I've been to many local government meetings over the years where one side or the other or both bring this kind of petition to the table, though usually with paper rather than electronic signatures.

ETA: I took another look at their petition,and they've made a serious mistake. Instead of asking "Do you currently live in Medford or Somerville, MA? (Yes/No)", they should be asking for a street address. The local government gives a lot more weight to people who live in the immediate neighborhood, and a lot less to people who live in another city (even adjoining Medford).

[ron_newman]

It's right in the middle of Harvard Square, next to the big Starbucks and the main T entrance.

There's a Berryline closer, on the west side of Mass. Ave about halfway between Porter and Harvard.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

This is pretty much their last and only chance at not losing a significant investment put in as a franchise to have a location here. The Franchise owner had already paid all of the fees to start the process (from what I understand when I was at the zoning board meeting, over 10k) and had a fairly high financial risk. If this is the due process for a last ditch attempt at that space, and I had 10-15k on the line, I'd most likely do it too, no matter how desperate it seemed. That said, I do wish they'd consider investing in one of our other fine squares instead when this petition most likely flops. Most of the others could use any kind of frozen refreshment, though the nice long walk from the Magoun Area does make me feel better about getting ice cream when I really want one :)

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

haven't looked at it yet, but does it not ask if you live in Cambridge? North Cambridge is closer than Medford....

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I feel badly for the person who has put money into it, and i hope it works out for the person, but i don't think the square needs 3 froyo places. it's unfortunate that the way it timed out this person was last one in.... and i agree, another square could probably benefit more from this...

[ron_newman]

Nope. The question on the petition form is exactly what I posted. I don't understand why, either.

[ron_newman]

It seems to be easy to accidentally sign the petition, somehow? I just got a confirmation e-mail from confirm@ipetitions.com, thanking me for signing it. Except that I didn't sign it, or at least didn't intend to sign it.

ETA: The signature list shows me as having written this comment: "I really think Pinkberry will be a good addition!". No, I did not! It's possible that I could have accidentally hit the "Sign This Petition" button, but there is no way I could have accidentally written that sentence on the form.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

that's very bizarre....

[ron_newman]

I've sent a complaint to support@ipetitions.com, which resulted in opening a 'Support ticket'. Hopefully they'll remove me soon.

[londo.livejournal.com]

Plus another, different brand a block or two south of Harvard Square proper. Frozen yogurt is sort of everywhere now.

[teko.livejournal.com]

If I'd spent 10k on fees to begin the process of opening a business, I'd be out on the street collecting signatures, not putting up electronic ones.

Then again, I also wouldn't put my business literally across the street from someone offering a nearly identical product.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Why can't the market decide what Davis Square "needs" or not? The government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

the one a block or two south of harvard is also a Berryline, like the one a block or two north of harvard.

[ron_newman]

I think the intent of the zoning ordinance is to limit or control the conversion of retail storefronts into 'fast-order' food service places. If the conversion is to be allowed, the applicant is supposed to establish a 'need'.

ETA: Section 5.1.4(g) of the Somerville zoning ordinance says:

"Fast food establishments. In special permit applications for fast-order, take-out or automobile oriented food service establishments, there shall be establishment of a need for such a facility in the neighborhood or in the City, and impacts on traffic circulation, parking and visual, physical, or historical characteristics of the particular location shall not be detrimental."

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

This. I think iYo's using the board to keep out competition is obnoxious. Even though I like their product, I won't patronize them because of this.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

I see someone has also written:

Name: Example Example on Dec 8, 2012
Do you currently live in Medford or Somerville, MA?: No
Comments: Apparently it's very easy to forge signatures on this petition.

right after your supposed signature, which means that this entire petition is completely unreliable, since it does not require a confirmation. 50 of those replies could just be one person with some time on their hands. Or a 10k investment.

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why you think this is any worse than what iYo did.

[ron_newman]

That was me, actually, using example@example.org as the e-mail address. After I found my name forged on the petition, I wanted to see what steps one needs to go through to sign the petition. Obviously there is no confirmation step.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

I'm not terribly impressed with what iYo did, but they were protecting their investment by making sure that a new potential competitor was held to every single bureaucratic thing that they had to do when opening. And I am sorry that they invested the money in this possible location, but the first filing on this was about 2 months after iYo had opened and around the time Orange Leaf was launching. This wasn't a coincidence, this was a franchisee for a chain with 170+ locations deciding to piggyback in on a trend after IYo had proven there was a market for froyo.

The 96 can get anyone who wants Pinkberry to Harvard in about 8m, taking you by Berryline in 6 if you are impatient (or really, have better taste; I do find Berryline to be the better froyo). I was indifferent to it before, but not really looking forward to it at all. Pinkberry did this before, as a chain, letting Berryline, a small independent shop, establish a want for the product in Harvard, then moving in with a location closer to the Square (Berryline survived, but they had lines in 2007/2008, and they do not, now).

It *is* protectionist, and I know there are people who find that to be a problem, but I genuinely believe if one wants to avoid Harvard Squarification, it does need to be actively worked for. Pinkberry was told no, for both access requirements/parking *and* for viability issues, and an online petition is actually pretty meaningless. It feels a lot like 'the lurkers support me'.