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Comments
Pretty sure they've been open at least 10 years
Google maps has them open in 2007, and I'd guess at least since 2005.
Yeah
But for a city that's almost 400 years old, 10 years is a drop in the bucket.
Well, it was new to me
Headline changed, thanks.
Lafayette Place
has never managed to fill all of its storefronts, even after it was transformed from a failing mall into a mixed retail-office block. It drags down its whole surroundings.
Yeah there's no foot traffic
Yeah there's no foot traffic in DTX
More foot traffic than almost anywhere else in Boston
except perhaps Newbury Street, Boylston Street, and Hanover Street
Sarcasm Ron
It's a whole thing.
I doubt foot traffic is the
I doubt foot traffic is the issue. People just aren't buying Eddie Bauer these days, especially in a town predominantly made up of younger professionals.
If you're not part of the super-cheap fast fashion scene like UNIQLO or H&M, chances are you're too expensive. Just look at what's been happening to Gap recently.
I dunno
Erica Mattison is a young professional; she and at least some of her Twitter followers apparently shop there. Something else may be in play.
I think...
...Section 77 was joking, y'all.
They've been there since at
They've been there since at least 2003.
Before that
the Eddie Bauer Outlet was up the street on Washington near State St.
Earlier Eddie Bauer store
I could be mistaken, but wasn't that earlier Eddie Bauer actually ON State Street, sort of towards the Broad Street area? Maybe I'm thinking of something else.
They probably got tired of
They probably got tired of drug addicts barfing on the door. I don't know why but that place was always a junky magnet.
Not in my experience
Not in my experience, and I work just down the street.
Darn.
It always seems pretty busy in there, at least at lunchtime during the week. I'll miss it. I don't know if that stretch of Washington is worse than Downtown as a whole (I work on Chauncy, where daytime bus stop brawls and dudes peeing on the street are not super-unusual) but you do sort of feel like you're nowhere over there.
Blame that stupid hotel
Why not put the blame where it belongs, on a construction project that's turned an entire block into a no-man's-land for years now? They've taken over an entire sidewalk and part of the street, and it just doesn't make for a very nice environment, you know?
Lafayette Mall disaster area
That Eddie Bauer store has been there for ten years and it might as well have been invisible. Its part of the whole blankness of that Lafayette Mall disaster area. That whole thing was a mess from the beginning. The hotel is ridiculous too. You almost feel like you're walking through the parking garage to get to this sort of pseudo lobby, which seems to be in a basement.
Tear all of the old mall down
Tear all of the old mall down and reconnect Bedford Street with Washington Street. Enough with the failed superblocks.
Most likely rent increase
10 years is about right for a commercial lease period downtown. It probably expired and it's too expensive to renew. When Eddie Bauer leased that space it was a pretty bad neighborhood. they probably got a great deal at the time . But that whole street is fast becoming super prime real estate. Rising rents probably squeezed them out.
Rising rents for a block
Rising rents for a block which has storefronts vacant since the mall was done away with. The corner of Washington and Lafayette has been empty for ~15 years now!
That is not how com re works.
The owner of Lafayette has spent millions upgrading the building for future tenants. They are targeting a specific demographic of business and they are going to sit on their space until get what they want. And yes that includes rent increase. These companies have no interest in renting to Joe Schmoe's here-today-gone-tomorrow juice bar/cupcake store/froyo concept. They know the area is changing fast and will sit on their space until a nice fat corporate co will pay them what they want.
Empty? Are you sure?
There's a bank there. What storefronts are empty, exactly?
Is it just me b/c I didn't
Is it just me b/c I didn't think it was a "pretty bad neighborhood." I worked in that building before Eddie Bauer went in and it was fine. IMO anyway.
Ever since the arcade closed
Ever since the arcade closed and the Ritz went up it hasn't been that bad.
Just its DTX location?
Does anyone buy Eddie Bauer stuff anymore? Have the 90s returned?!
The 90's?
I bet you say the same thing about LL Bean. Eddie Bauer has been around since 1920. They patented the first down jacket so yeah people still wear their stuff. It's quality unlike the crap they are selling in H&M and Primark which I wouldn't be caught dead in.
That store has been there over a decade and has some amazing deals. I would get all my jeans, sweaters, button downs and collared shirts in there for way less than that crap-hole called Macy's. It was one of a very few stores that I couldn't find at my mall right near my house.
DTX is full of empty spaces now. Almost all of Bromfield St is empty. Windsor Button is staying empty as is Mantra. Cohen Optical, Claires, FrozenYo, The cupcake place, Radio Shack and many more are sitting there waiting for Banana Republic, Spencer's Gifts or Maybe even another Starbucks next to another Walgreens to move in at $250/square foot. Have you been in the Corner Mall lately? Half empty.
Having said that, the end of Washington Street that has Legal Crossing, Boston Common Coffee, the Back Deck, the Paramount and Modern theaters etc is NICE now. If you consider that shady you haven't been there.
Having said THAT, there is still a huge homeless and addict problem in the city and it is getting worse.
This has been the DTX report. We now return you to regularly scheduled programming ie: Ron Newman not understanding sarcasm.
I'm a guy in my 30s
and frequently pass through DTX , on foot (subway/walking), on my way to work. I don't have to dress in a suit, or that obnoxious so called business casual. I usually, in this weather, wear a flannel shirt, jeans (or cargo pants gasp!), down jacket, and usually have a backpack . I have facial hair, trimmed beard. I often get treated like I'm homeless, a druggie or alcoholic, presumably because I'm not wearing suit, dressed business casual like Mr. Rodgers, don't look like a tourist, nor a young student. I bet many people presume some guys downtown, Back Bay, etc. are homeless, who aren't.
Perhaps
But having worked down there outside for the better part of two decades I can assure you there are many people who are homeless there There are also 4 full homeless shelters near by that will confirm this.
So...
you look like a lumberjack or a fashion-challenged millennial instead of Mr. Rodgers, congrats. You're cool.
What exactly
is wrong or bad about wearing flannel shirts, jeans and carrying a backpack?
Nothing!
and Everything!
But, what if it isn't that ...
Hmm. It's almost as if they want the entire building vacant ...
"entire building"?
What other vacancies are in that building?
Another reason...
Not to bother going downtown to shop anymore.
I know,
right? You can go to a TJ Maxx or a Marshall's anywhere. DTX has slim pickings.
Too bad
I love this store. I have gotten a couple of great down coats there for great prices over the years (including a couple of months ago) and their travel bags are well made and also affordable. Whenever I am in DTX, I stop in. Unfortunate loss.
Eddie bauer
Who wears eddie bauer this has to come from the zoolander clones that walk by on 20 degree days with skinny jeans and their sisters sz small v neck T s. Eddie bauer and L L bean are part of america every camper needs a sleeping bag and gear from one of these i prefer eddie bauer the quality is consistent and there stuff is constantly on sale no longer do i purchase carhart work clothes since theyve outsourced to vietnam mexico a sell out for the union workers who stuck by there product for years
I really miss Eddie Bauer. I
I really miss Eddie Bauer. I got so many great things there: t-shirts, slacks -- always 100% cotton - a trench coat, parka, sling backpacks, etc. Their on-line has nothing of the same quality. Shopping there was fun and relaxing, never too crowded, always great deals.