Found has been Lost

[ron_newman]

Found, the used clothing consignment shop at 255 Elm Street, has closed. Someone identifying himself as the owner was standing outside a few minutes ago, and he told me that the landlord is "a greedy jerk who jacked up the rent, and is not a good person." He also said the shop had suffered from shoplifting. He hopes to find a new location where he can reopen it.

Comments

[pakoo.livejournal.com]

? I just dropped off several hundred dollars of designer goods there!!
Did he mention anything about the inventory?

[ron_newman]

No, I just biked by there, saw the empty storefront with the lights on (and "75" signs plastered all over the windows), and talked to the people standing in the doorway. I assume everything in there got sold?

[pakoo.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I just dropped the goods off a couple weeks ago. Most were brand new and had tags still attached. They told me not to check back until the end of March for payment/status.

[twilighttremolo.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, if it's replaced by another clothing store the new one will be more affordable, sell a wider variety of clothing sizes, or both. FOUND took up a lot of space for the relatively small proportion of Somervillans who could shop there.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Definitely agreed. I hate for any business to fail -- especially because of landlord/rent issues -- but given the large Goodwill and the Buffalo Exchange virtually across the street, the selection at FOUND was lacking and the prices were unaffordable. I kept hoping it'd improve, but it never did.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

I thought their stuff was very nice, and I would have paid the prices, but it was extremely rare to find anything there in my size (18-20). I felt body-shamed every time I walked by. :-/

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

Seconded. I also felt body-shamed the time that I asked about merchandise and was told to try Lane Bryant, but the manager couldn't remember the name "Lane Bryant".

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. I only went in once. When I asked if they carried plus sized clothes, the two employees both very haughtily said "NO." I never went back in.

Here's hoping for a business that can serve a broader base.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I see what you did there.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

Given that Found couldn't continue because the space now commands higher rent than it could pay, it seems unlikely that it will be replaced by a store that charges less. Face it, Davis Square is being gentrified (and the people on this list are gentrifiers).

[smammy]

That space always seemed tricky to me. It's HUGE, and I can't imagine that many small businesses could make enough money to afford the rent on a space that size. In my fantasy, that space could house several micro-stores. Kind of like a farmer's market but not for expensive vegetables and not in a parking lot.

[ron_newman]

Although when it was Almy's or Gorin's, didn't that store include both the current Found and Foundry spaces plus a second floor?

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

The micro store idea is something I've always thought would work in DS – at the SSI building or that Found space. A few small stores, carts, some food/coffee "mini-trucks", a pop-up performance space for acoustic music or story-telling – enough variety and events to draw browsers in to hang out.

I imagine the logistics of something like that would be a big challenge and perhaps the revenue possibilities thin.

Rent

[belt cruz (from livejournal.com)]

They are looking for 16k a month.

No way could a co-op survive there.

This is the 4th or 5th place pushed out of that building, and they all say the same exact thing.

Nothing local or cool can make it past the initial three/four years, when the rent hike happens.

RE: Rent

[teko.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you for that stat. I had no idea what the landlord was asking for that space. At that price, the only thing that could go in and survive would be a national chain, I'd think.

RE: Rent

[ron_newman]

The rent was not $16k/month. The lease was attached as an exhibit to this lawsuit, and it says the rent was:

9/1/2011-8/31/2012: $8000/month
9/1/12-8/31/13: $8500
9/1/13-8/31/14: $9000
9/1/14-8/31/15: $9157
9/1/15-8/31/16: $9472.50
9/1/16-8/31/17: $9804.03

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

a greedy jerk who jacked up the rent, and is not a good person

What a strange idea, the landlord would rent out the building in order to make money.

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

So "making money" is at once and always a socially laudable value?
Just "how much" money is socially laudable? Or do we just not concern ourselves about consequences?
And if someone views (or treats) a community as a resource to be exploited, why should they not be reviled?

Any ideas?

[melissa stern (from livejournal.com)]

I gave them a ton of high end merchandise and am owed hundreds of dollars. Any ideas on what to do?

RE: Any ideas?

[ron_newman]

I don't know, and the comment I left earlier on their Facebook page seems to have disappeared. I left a few more.

[elramsay.livejournal.com]

Since they seem to refuse to deal with this...
It's owned and operated by Newton residents Fred and Meredith Bennett.
I wont post their phone number or address here but it's easy enough to find.

[ron_newman]

Please do post the phone number and address if you have them. They will be useful to many other people who are reading this.

Scout Somerville Story

[scoutmags.livejournal.com]

Hi all,

My name is Emily Cassel, I'm the Editor in Chief of the local magazine Scout Somerville. If anyone would be willing to speak to me about this Found situation, especially if you're waiting to hear back about your consignment items or payment, I'd love to hear what you have to say. You can reach me at ecassel@scoutmagazines.com. Thanks!

Emily

Re: Scout Somerville Story

[ron_newman]

Since this post is now more than a month old, I'm not sure most of the people you are trying to reach will see it. I suggest making a new, top-level post asking about this.

Re: Scout Somerville Story

[ron_newman]

tagging pakoo, elramsay, ext_3505528 in hopes that they see this query