Gourmet Express in Porter Square is closing permanently TONIGHT

[ron_newman]

Gourmet Express, the 24-hour convenience store and fast-food restaurant in Porter Square, will close for good in just a few hours. The man who answered the phone said he thought the doors will close at 2 am.

The building is about to be demolished to make way for a 26-unit residential development. Although the new building will have a first-floor retail space, it's unlikely that Gourmet Express will return to that site. All of the property in the store will be auctioned off on the premises this Wednesday, April 2 at 11 am.

Comments

[she-of-emeralds.livejournal.com]

Well, that sucks!

Probably explains the rather empty shelves I've seen there lately... *sigh*

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Not to be a killjoy, but I'm glad. Gourmet Express was nice and all but that lot was underutilized and having it be replaced with high-density transit-oriented housing is a pretty clear win.

[ron_newman]

My feelings are similarly mixed, but I'd rather have seen the huge vacant Lesley University lots developed first

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Why has Lesley just sat on those!?

[pryder]

Likely because they don't currently have enough money available to develop them for university expansion, but they don't want to develop them for other purposes and lose the future ability to use them that way.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Yeah that's also one of the ugliest buildings in the immediate area and contributes a bit of blight factor to the square.GE as a shop was *ok* in a pinch, but hardly something I would have missed if I still lived right there.

[pryder]

It's sad to see the passage of a long-term business. (I believe it was originally a White Hen Pantry; later it took its current name and expanded the food business.) But the people who have commented on the use of the site also have a good point.

[ron_newman]

It was one of two White Hens in the neighborhood. The other one is now 7-Eleven at Mass. Ave. and Day Street.