Economy Hardware Files for Bankruptcy

Per the CentralSquare.com blog, the owners of Economy Hardware filed for bankruptcy protection in late April. The Central Square store, along with another store in Brookline, have been a fixture for more than a generation. From the CS post:

In a phone interview Tuesday, owner Larry Friedman said the
company “ran into some challenging years” that ultimately prompted the filing. He is the second-generation owner of the family business that has been in Greater Boston for over 61 years.

“We have no intention of winding down,” Friedman said. “I expect to have the stores as they exist now.”

Photo from Yelp.com

Spring Cleaning

Local businesses and active Cantabridgeons take to the streets this Saturday in the Second Annual Central Square Cleanup. Looks like the weather will cooperate nicely, too.

Start 8:30 am at Clear Conscience Café (581 Mass Ave) for tea and coffee. Finish up at 11:30 am at Toscanini (899 Main Street) with ice cream and big thanks!!

h/t to Minka vanBeuzekom; Photo by Flickr user meeralee, used under Creative Commons.

Rodney's Bookstore Closing

More Central Square retail news, via CentralSquare.com. From the post:

Ken Reeves announced Monday at the city council meeting that Rodney’s used bookstore is closing as the owner wants to retire. He said there was some good news that the space may become a nightclub. Rodney’s book store is located at 689 Massachusetts Ave in Central Square.

Photo of Rodneys from yelp.com

Improving Central Square through Neighbor Input

Spurred on by lots of recent and impending changes to Central Square--including store closings and news of restaurant openings--the City is tackling the oft-maligned Square's public image head on. The first step is to move through a process that encourages a broad public dialogue in the Square's problems, its strengths and its potential. That dialogue will next take the form of specific, topical conversations held over the next few weeks. Join any or all of the groups below (listed in order of meeting date):

Retail Mix & Vacancies
Discussing the need for more, affordable family apparel stores, better general merchandise stores, vacancies that fit needs, anchor tenants, potential math tutoring venue, a home-style, affordable diner, kid-friendly stores, especially bookstores, and business condos.
April 5th, 344 Broadway, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m, 4th Floor Conf. Room

Human Service Issues
This group will tackle some of the trickiest issues for the Square and ways to address homelessness, public intoxication and drug enforcement, discourage unruly hangout locations, and discourace panhandling, improve the physical ambiance, and to increase police facilities.
April 6th, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., 344 Broadway, 4th Floor Conf. Room

Public Relations & Marketing
This group focuses on perceptions of Central Square, including a potential marketing and branding campaign, better communications, creating more positive press and a clear identity for the Square.
April 12th, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., 344 Broadway, 3rd Floor Conf. Room

Event Programming
A group that will discuss expanding Central Square's capacity to host events, that support save, vibrant, lively nightlife venues, including ideas to extend stores onto sidewalks, produce more outdoor entertainment, and to take a look at long-term planning operational support.
April 13th, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, 344 Broadway, 4th Floor Conf. Room

Street and Sidewalk Appearance and Cleanliness
This group will tackle another of Central Square's most stubborn problems related to its often dingy appearance. Some initial topics include more bike racks and moped parking, improved facades and window art, incorporating the backstreets of the Square into the retail environment, examining recycling and public toilet options, pedestrian safety, lighting, and benches, and improving snow removal.
April 15th, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., 344 Broadway, 4th Floor Conf. Room

For more info on the broader effort by the City, contact Estella Johnson, the Director of Economic Development, at estellaj@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4616.

Central Square Retail Tide Turning?

Every few weeks in the past year, you notice another one. Another Central Square retailer, here one week, gone the next, replaced by brown packing paper blocking the windows and a phone number to inquire about leasing. The AT&T store on the corner of Mass Ave and Magazine St. A printer supply store. The Gap. The Attic. A florist. Pearl Art.

This week, some good news comes to us via Gus Rancatore of Toscanini's via his blog:

• Flour Bakery, a South End favorite, is moving in next to Central Bottle (in itself a new success story).
• Life Alive, an organic cafe in Lowell, is moving into the Hollywood Express space across from the Post Office.
• "Revere's famous Cambodian restaurant" which Gus identifies as Floating Island (but I think he means Floating Rock) is moving into part of the old Gap space.

It's interesting (and wholly unsurprising) that many of the closed stores were national tenants with corporate decisionmakers far from Cambridge, and many of those filling the void are ventures with local or regional bases. Come out and support the new business--as well as some of our favorite, more established ones!

Image of Central Bottle, 196 Mass Ave, courtesy their website.

Central Square: Phoenix Rising, Pearl Shutting

Not really news to those who frequent Mass Ave shops, but CentralSquare.com notes two changes to longtime establishments:

First, Cambridge’s Pearl Art & Craft Supplies to close, and the place has been a zoo for a few weeks as art students clear the shelves with severe discounts. Pearl has been there 20 years, but is one of 10 "underperforming" stores owned by the Florida arts supply company. Artist & Craftsman and Utrect are still available for those in dire need of a new tube of yellow ochre.

Second, more positively, Phoenix Landing has finished their renovations and CS.com posted some photos (including the one above). This is part of an ongoing effort to spruce up the place, long known as a haven for English football (soccer) fans and, at night, dancing.

What Central Square Needs

The City asked, and people responded: What does Central Square need to fulfill its potential as the lively, transit-oriented center of a diverse community?

Results came in two forms. One was through the "Envisioning Central Square" forum hosted by Councilors Denise Simmons and Sam Seidel in December. The comments, as reported in the Chronicle, were predictable, "the most prominent of which showed that many Central Square patrons want more shopping options, more upkeep and cleanliness and less public drinking, loitering and homeless people on the streets." In fact, homelessness dominated the conversation as any Central Square conversation must. The Chronicle's writeup includes some interesting contributions from Len Thomas of the Cambridge Multi-Service Center and Superintendent Steven Williams on CPD's Homeless Outreach Program.

The other results came (in more detail, but less frankness) in the CDD-produced summary report for the Central Square Intercept Survey, which nonetheless contains some interesting data about the public's desired retail options (hint: people want The Gap back...)
ed_survey_central
Thanks to neighbor Carolyn Shipley for the links!

Photo by Flickr user zudark. Used with Creative Commons license.

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

A topic for every interested C-porter:

• Tuesday, 12/1: Planning Board Meeting, including a "design review of a limited number of façade changes for the church structure phase" of the Blessed Sacrament condo conversion (aka "Dana Park Place"); 7:30pm, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd floor meeting room
• Wednesday, 12/2: C-port Neighborhood Association meeting, with an agenda that includes a year end review/visions for next year, the city arborist discussing neighborhood street trees, Housing Authority initiatives, the Police Review Committee on policing policy; 7:00pm, Woodrow Wilson Court, Fairmont Street entrance (via ramp to basement level community room)
• Tuesday, 12/8: City Council Housing Committee meeting to review the significant ongoing and planned initiatives by the Cambridge Housing Authority; 5:00pm, Sullivan Chamber, City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue
• Wednesday, 12/9: City Council Hearing on the Stretch Energy Code, which is contemplated as an option for municipalities to increase energy conservation & energy efficiency beyond statewide code minimums; 5:00pm, Sullivan Chamber, City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue
• Wednesday, 12/16: "Envisioning Central Square," a public forum being orgainized by Mayor Simmons and Vice Mayor Seidel; 6:00pm, City Hall; contact Jeff Walker, Mayor Simmons' Chief of Staff, at JWalker@Cambridgema.gov for more info

Giving Thanks and Giving Back

This week, as temperatures continue their annual plunge -- highs in the mid-40's this Thanksgiving weekend -- and many of us gather around the table with family and friends, we give thanks not just for our own good fortune, but for our C-Port neighbors who extend their reach to the less fortunate. The increasingly active CentralSquare.com blog notifies us of these efforts:

First, for the third time, Central Square's Tavern in the Square will host a free Thanksgiving Dinner "open to all," consisting of all the traditional favorites plus pie and coffee. The dinner focuses on "the elderly, the homeless and, families that may be struggling in these difficult times." Doors open at 11 AM, dinner will be served from 11:30-2. If you would be interested in volunteering for the day, please call 617-868-8800 and ask for a manager.

And from now until December 18th, the YWCA & YMCA of Cambridge are running a "Sharing Food For the Holidays" food drive for the 108 women, 129 men, and 29 families they will house during the holiday season. Food Drive Drop Boxes are located at the YWCA lobby, 7 Temple Street, and the YMCA lobby, 820 Mass Ave. If you would like to donate any non-perishable bulk items please contact Sharon Columbo, YWCA Tanner Residence, 617-491-6055 x228.

What's Needed in Central Square Retail?

An announcement from City Council member Henrietta Davis. What do you think Central Square needs?

Brunch Rundown

Photo_041709_003
Originally uploaded by yehwan

For those who greet the arrival of cooler weather with a craving for hot comfort food and less hectic weekends, brunch is one of life's great pleasures. Lucky for us, C-port abounds with good and varied options. Via Winnie Yang and the Nine Dots Boston arts blog comes this rundown of Central Square brunch options (h/t CentralSquare.com).

There are no real surprises on a list that contains Toscanini's, Cragie on Main, Cafe Luna and Brookline Lunch, but its a nice reminder that there are plenty of good local places out there ready to help us put on that protective layer for winter! (Or am I the only one that thinks its a compliment for a bunch to be "definitely on the slower, greasier side of food life"?)

Cambridge Carnival Parade this Weekend

cambridge carnival participants
Originally uploaded by iamtonyang

Saturday Sunday the 13th marks the return of the 17th Cambridge Carnival International festival and parade, a "colorful and festive celebration that is rooted in African traditions," and annually attracts 150,000 celebrants.

Most of the carnival itself will be centered at Kendall Square, but the enlarged, 1.3 mile parade route runs right through C-port, starting at Blackstone Street and River Street at 1pm, continuing up River Street to Mass Ave. From Central Square, it continues down Mass Avenue to Main Street into Kendall Square.

A bit more from the organizers:

Cambridge Carnival is the most unique event in the City of Cambridge. It is planned entirely by the community for the community. The organizing committee works hard year-round to plan an event that is inclusive, engaging, and reflective of the City’s diversity. The event is organized by a non-profit volunteer community organization made up of a diverse group of individuals who live and work in Cambridge as well as local businesses who desire to promote, preserve and share the history and culture of the Caribbean and Carnival traditions based on the models of Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil. The festival is a vehicle to bring together Cambridge's diverse community for a spectacular annual costume parade and celebration.

The Cambridge Carnival has come a long way since 1992 from a small street fair at University Park, to now one of the most spectacular events in the Greater Boston area. Today, Cambridge Carnival is one of the largest outdoor multicultural festivals in New England. After twelve years of growth, in 2004, Cambridge Carnival, which takes place in August every year, outgrew its Central Square location and found a home in Kendall Square. Cambridge Carnival is one of twenty-four North American Caribbeanstyle carnivals that combine wire-bending, costumes, masks, music, steel pan, street-parades, dancing, and food and craft exhibits, to display the diverse cultures of all the countries and Caribbean islands.

Volunteer to Help Improve Central Square

Central Square - Cambridge
Originally uploaded by cambridgepads

Central Square is the place we love to hate: annoyed by litter and crowds, but drawn by necessity and convenience; disappointed by its failures as a public space, but smug in its establishments' low-rent indie street cred.

The city's Economic Development Department is looking for volunteers for the next few weeks to help learn what brings people to Central, how they get there, and what's needed to improve the area. They need five people to fan out to predetermined locations over several dates.

Some details from Elaine Madden, who is heading up the effort:

We in the City’s Economic Development Division are looking for volunteers to help conduct a Customer Intercept Survey in Central Square three days next week and three days the week after Labor Day. We hope to have five people surveying in each time slot.

We thought the survey results would be of interest to the residents of the Cambridgeport neighborhood and other neighborhoods abutting Central Square, as the Square is your cIosest commercial district and a place where many of you may shop, dine, and use professional services.

We will be analyzing the information and hope to share it with residents and the business community in the near future. The goal is to help understand who uses the Square and for what reasons, and to help businesses fill gaps in products and services to better serve their customers and attract new ones.

Please ask any volunteers to contact me (emadden@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4618) a.s.a.p. let me know of their interest.

If You Like Road Construction...

...Yer gonna love this.

To go along with the ongoing Brookline Street reconstruction and the manhole work at Mass and Pearl, the centralsquare.com blog brings us news of the coming River Street reconfiguration at Central Square. From the City announcement:

The roadway will be repaved and new pavement markings and signage will be installed. The travel lanes on River St approaching Mass Ave will be marked as a thru lane (to Prospect Street) and a right turn lane (to eastbound Mass Ave) to
clarify the operation of the intersection.

Given the pedestrian traffic at Central Square (in the crosswalk and the more freestyle variety), I have a hard time imagining what it takes to "clarify" the operation, but I'm glad they're trying. The best part of the whole project is likely north of the square, where the sidewalk along Prospect will get a needed widening, so people aren't falling out of The Field right onto the street.

All told, construction should last through the fall.