something Davis Sq probably doesn't need

[ron_newman]

Someone wants to open a Quizno's sub shop franchise at 401 Highland Avenue, where Disc Diggers used to be. The proposal keeps getting postponed from one Planning Board meeting to the next; it supposedly comes up again at this Thursday night's meeting.

While I can't see a real basis for showing up to oppose it, I also don't see it filling any real need, given that you can already get sandwiches of various kinds at Au Bon Pain, Blue Shirt, Mike's, Diesel, Christo's Seven Star, Subway, O'Natural's, and probably other places I've forgotten about.

Comments

[turil.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the chain store creep is very disappointing. The very reason that Davis Square was rated one of the top places in the US (by Rolling Stone), was because of it's diversity. Bringing monotonous national chain stores in will destroy that appeal. A Quiznos (whatever the heck it is, I've never seen one) is just not going to bring business into Davis Square. An independent business, with a unique and useful product, will. For example, a small, funky art/craft supply store might be a nice addition to the area. Or a health food grocery store. Or an activist book store (like the very fun Lucy Parson's Center). Or a small performance space...

Oh, and Hi Ron!

too many restaurants?

[ron_newman]

Some Davis Square residents seem to be tiring of restaurants and wanting something else to come into vacant commercial spaces. Before the November city election, I received a leaflet from one at-large candidate (I think Bruce Desmond), signed by many neighbors who had successfully opposed two restaurants proposed for the Citizens Bank building.

(And hi, Turil!)

[cutieperson]

a small, funky art/craft supply store might be a nice addition to the area.

you mean like Spark Crafts, which has been open for almost a year now?

[turil.livejournal.com]

Huh. I'd heard of it, but thought it was just a workshop space, not a retail shop. (And I remember being annoyed at the anti-kid attitude, too, so I didn't do anymore research into what they offered or where they were.) I'll have to wander back there next time I'm in the square. Thanks!

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Or a health food grocery store.

I'd kill for one that's closer than Pemberton Farms. We had Celia's for a little while which was fabulous but had the worst business plan ever. It was a perfect place to get dinner food or ingredients on the way home, but they closed at six so I tended to miss them. And they had an amazing salad bar. Okay, really what I want is a woderful, organic salad bar. *sigh* It was upsetting because they made great food but I knew they'd never last with those habits, and indeed they closed after a short while.

Although in their defense, for a metro area of its size, Boston doesn't seem able to support much of a vegetarian or health food market, for whatever reason. There are some, sure, but just about every other city I've been in that even approaches this size has more. I'm not sure one would survive long in Davis even if it was well-run.

[ron_newman]

I'd like to see a Trader Joe's, even though that's a chain store. The former Buck-a-Book store (maybe combined with the neighboring vacant former Mini-Mart) would be idea for this.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Word is that the former B-a-B is going to be a 7-11. I got this via the owner of the building, but maybe it's not set yet. a TJs would be WAY better.

[ron_newman]

I remember reading, a month or so ago, that 7-11 decided against moving in there.

[twe.livejournal.com]

Personally, I don't have time to go grocery shopping every day and can't carry a week's worth of food in my arms, so I go once a week, by car. (Seeing movies and eating out on foot are fine, but not real shopping, so I only do that in places that have parking.) If I'm in any way typical, I can see why there's no grocery store in Davis Square.

It was always very frustrating for me that most of the interesting looking local stores closed before I got home from work. (Spark Crafts gets lots of points for staying open until 9p when they're open.)

[ron_newman]

Re: "can't carry a week's worth of food in my arms"

That's what those wheeled fold-up shopping carts are for. I bought mine at Tags Hardware many years ago and it has served me well for both grocery shopping and laundry.

[twe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had one of those once, and even managed to use it for grocery shopping a couple times, but it was really awkward, esp on bad roads and up steep hills. Plus it was a pain to store in the house. Glad they work for some people, but they're not for everyone.

[turil.livejournal.com]

By the way, what the heck is a Quiznos?

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

it's a sammich chain similar to subway, but their hook is that they toast all their subs in an oven and melt the cheese/etc before they hand it over. they have an emphasis on creative new breads and "premium" meats/etc. and they almost always serve banana peppers :> SOME subways, most notably ones with brazilian influence sometimes carry those.

#

mmm... avocado sprout root...

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I can think of bunches of places in the Square to get a burrito or a sub of whatever temperature, but damn, am I missing out on the avocado sprout root sammiches??? Where? :)

[ron_newman]

the nearest Quizno's to Davis is in "Technology Square" which is really part of Kendall Square. I haven't been to it yet.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I meant where in Davis is this abundance of hippie sandwiches that Joe alleged. I wanna know!

(And sorry, I just delete the comment by accident.)