Today's Save the Someday meeting

[ron_newman]

I wish I could say I took careful written notes, but I didn't. So this is just from memory.

Between 150 and 200 people jammed into the Someday this afternoon between 5 and 6:30 for a community meeting on the future of the café. Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz did an excellent job of moderating, making sure the meeting started and ended on time and that people spoke in turn. To the crowd's surprise, Mayor Joseph Curtatone was also there, standing next to and behind Rebekah.

Peter Creyf, the once and future owner of Mr. Crepe, told us that he had signed a lease with Richard Fraiman (owner of the Somerville Theatre building). Because of the needs of his other businesses (Waffle Haus at various New England ski resorts), he said that he needed to open Mr. Crepe by the beginning of November. Nevertheless, he agreed to hold his plans in abeyance for the next 10 days, while Gewirtz, Mayor Curtatone, and others scramble to find him a different Davis Square location. It seems like a longshot, but should it happen, Someday Café could remain where it is, under new management by its employees, who have quickly developed a business plan.

Many people in the crowd spoke passionately of their love for the Someday, and its importance to their lives and to Davis Square's identity. A number of people urged Peter Creyf to find a way to mesh his business with that of the Someday, to take on the Someday's employees as partners, or to take over the Someday as a current going concern and then add crêpes to the menu in the months to come. In this way, he could inherit the Someday's enthusiastic customer base rather than alienating it. He understandably was reluctant to change his business plan in this way, comparing a business partnership to a "marriage". But it's possible that in the days to come, he might take into account what he heard tonight.

Almost everyone treated Mr. Creyf with respect, and applauded him at various times.

If you were also at the meeting and are reading this, please add your own notes as comments here.

Comments

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

150 people? Wow, I expected there'd be maybe 20. Never let it be said that Davisites take things sitting down.

I'm glad Peter Creyf was treated with respect. Gus not showing up -- that colors my view of things a bit. I genuinely think Peter could create a cafe-like setting that feels similar to Someday but has crepes. Who here isn't jonesing for crepes? I think if Peter and the Someday staff put their heads together, a very positive hybrid solution could be reached.

Thanks for the meeting report, Ron.

count

[mattdm [typekey.com] (from livejournal.com)]

Ron, did you do a careful count? I was in the very back, and I estimated about 120 based on what I could see. My wife couldn't make it, but she walked by while the meeting was going on, and from looking in the window, she said she thought it was only 80-90....

Re: count

[ron_newman]

No, doing a careful count was impossible given the circumstances. I counted about 50 people, mostly seated, about 15 minutes before the meeting started. Then people started pouring in and filling nearly all of the standing room. So don't take my word as gospel here.