What has changed?

[everose.livejournal.com]

Hey - I'm moving back to Davis Square after living abroad for five years. What has changed, commercially?

Comments

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

No Someday, no Mr. Crepe, but Mr. Crepe should be reopening in the Someday space in a month or two. Tokens in the T station being replaced with CharlieTickets. Comicazi moving (just down the street a little); Out of the Blue (which may not have even existed 5 years ago, come to think of it...) now just in the Square on Elm rather than just out of it on Highland. Spike's hot dogs open on Elm. Continual turnover of the restaurant at 400 Highland (presently it isn't anything; it's been 3 different things at least in the last few years). Poor Little Rich Girl moving/expanding into some nearby space soon, forget where exactly. Magpie exists down Highland a bit.

Mostly it's the same, though.

You could just explore :).

[artemii.livejournal.com]

Poor Little Rich Girl is moving into the space where West Coast Video used to be.

[ludimagist.livejournal.com]

Also Buck A Book is now a Halloween store or an election headquarters depending on the season, there is a new coffeeshop attached to the Thai resturant, Diva opened a lounge with fancy cocktails and Indian tapas, and I think there's a new yoga place.

[artemii.livejournal.com]

Do you mean the Tibetan restaurant, Martsa's on Elm? Neither the restaurant nor its attendant coffeeshop (Bhoja) were open five years ago.

(They're next to Christo's)

[ron_newman]

Yeah, five years ago it was probably still Savannah Grill. I miss their pancakes.

Wow.

[everose.livejournal.com]

No Carberry's? No Buck a Book? A new Tibetan place! Mind-blowing.

Re: Wow.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

There's a new independent bookstore in Porter Square (http://www.portersquarebooks.com), which to me makes up for the loss of Buck a Book.

Re: Wow.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

You can still get a Carberry's fix in Arlington Center, if it's that important ;). But Porter Square Books sells the final word in scones, so there's no need :).

Re: Wow.

[gookalockgeek.livejournal.com]

There's also the Carberry's in Central Square.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Buck A Book's gone; there's a Planned Parenthood office in the back of that building.
The welfare office (and the building it was in) are gone.
Carberry's became O'Naturals, which is becoming a Mexican place apparently.
The drugstore on Highland changed names but stays the same (Osco->Brooks->another company is purchasing it; can't remember which brand.)
Your Move Games moved down Highland Ave (past the drugstore).
Bertucci's closed (this might have been more than five years ago?). Subway opened.
The ice cream place changed its name.
I think Jimmy Tingle's stage is new?
Martsa's on Elm (Tibetan restaurant) opened, and it's excellent.
The Indian restaurant Diva added a lounge next door.

(deleted and reposted so I could fix typos)

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Also Picante closed and was replaced with Spike's Hot Dogs.

[ron_newman]

The entire Buck-A-Book chain went under, not just our location.
The entire Brooks Pharmacy chain will become Rite-Aid, but I don't think a date has been set for that yet.
Denise's Ice Cream moved to Columbus, Ohio; they sold this location to JP Licks.
Jimmy Tingle's theatre was formerly the Boston Baked Theatre, and I think something else in between.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

...and Brooks used to be Osco...

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Denise's went to Columbus, OH? Any idea why?

[ron_newman]

Yeah, the owners moved there.
Denise's Homemade Ice Cream, now at 2899 N. High St. in Columbus.

[spatch]

Fusion Express went away; now it's Benjapon or some such. Never been in.

Denise's Ice Cream is now a JP Licks.

Disc Diggers is gone, but CD Spins is still around.

There are still creepy statues with crazy masks hanging around the Square.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I tried Benjapon's with a friend; we found it disappointing. He said the pad thai really wasn't that good (that's all he ever ordered from Fusion), and whatever I had was okay, but doesn't inspire any desire to eat there again (plus we found out that the nearby Thai place on Mass. Ave. is quite good).

[magpie-leah.livejournal.com]

Magpie is located on that little block of retail on Highland with Rock City guitars: http://www.magpie-store.com/ We've been hear almost two years now.

[ron_newman]

Enterprise Rent-a-car is closing imminently. No idea what will replace it.
I can't remember whether Namaskar, the other Indian restaurant, is more than five years old.
I also can't remember whether Hollywood Express is more than five years old.
The Mini-Mart next to Buck-A-Book also closed.
A restaurant opened and then closed behind the Rosebud; the sign outside suggests they are about to try again.
Sir Speedy became Princeton Printing, but it's the same people.

[ron_newman]

Wainwright Bank replaced Planet Aid.
Fleet Bank became Bank of America (everywhere, not just in Davis Sq).

[ron_newman]

Orleans replaced the Aquarium restaurant, which replaced something else ... there's been a whole parade of restaurants in that space, but Orleans appears to be successful and here to stay.

Dave's Fresh Pasta expanded and now includes a take-out sandwich counter; that's why Mr Crepe had to leave.

'Deli-licious' replaced Nick's Roast Beef, just a few weeks ago.

Mike's is open later at night, has fancy new windows and big-screen TVs for watching sports events.

Diesel Cafe has expanded.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Some things that haven't changed, that you might enjoy coming home to:

Johnny D's -- still rockin'
Soundbites -- still breakfasting the teeming millions
The Burren -- still pulling pints
McKinnon's -- still meaty
The Bellowing Man of Powderhouse -- still bellowing
Store 24 -- still Store 18
Mike's Restaurant -- still slinging grub, now with booze
Redbones -- still red and tasty

[ron_newman]

The Rosebud -- still the Rosebud, for better or worse.

The Somerville Theatre -- still home to concerts, cheap recent second-run films, and festivals of various kinds. Now they occasionally get first-runs, too (such as The Departed

Sacco's Bowl-Haven -- timeless

[modstgodds.livejournal.com]

Mike's has had booze for years..At least according to Chronicle, channel 5's news magazine.

[kierskenney.livejournal.com]

No love for MacInyre & Moore booksellers?

[ron_newman]

I think it's been here more than five years.