Otherside not dead yet
By adamg - 12/20/11 - 9:13 am
UPDATE: Oherside says it's not going anywhere, landlord's furniture deal fell through.
Mike Mennonno reports the Otherside Cafe on the, well, other side of Mass. Ave., isn't closing until the next of next month:
There's a big furniture store called Room & Board slated for the spot, although my feeling is it's a terrible place for it. Truth is, it's a pretty terrible place for anything, which is why it's the perfect place for a hipster dive like Otherside.
Comments
Been going to Otherside since
Been going to Otherside since I was in high school many many years ago. One burrito there will easily last me through 2 lunches. I wouldn't consider it a dive... hipster hangout absolutely. The food is delicious, the place is clean and there's pretty good energy between the music and the people. Sad to see Bhindi go too.
Room & Board's expensive over-sized furniture probably wouldn't be able to fit through the narrow entryways and crooked hallways of most Boston apartments. Their target customer seems to be the wealthy suburbanite McMansion owner... so not sure why they're choosing this location.
Parcels 12, 13, perhaps 15.
Parcels 12, 13, perhaps 15. Christian Science. Exeter.
Maybe it has something to do with the proximity to upcoming housing units in the neighborhood. Or the way Parcel 12's development will tranform the corner.
I don't see how Room and
I don't see how Room and Board furniture size-wise is any different than say Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware, all of which do have or have had presence in the Newbury/Boylston Street area.
Or any other of the furniture stores like Pompanoosuc Mills.
Well... Pottery Barn and
Well... Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware couldn't sustain enough business in order to remain on Newbury St. They've been gone for several years or maybe you haven't noticed. Crate & Barrel on Boylston has 2 floors of kitchenware, small appliances, bedding, glassware and home decor and only 1 floor of furniture so their focus is more varied. Pompanoosuc Mills -- never heard of it. Is it in Back Bay? If not I'm not sure what you're point is.
Restoration Hardware is returning to Back Bay
They are moving into the former Louis building, which was originally the Museum of Natural History.
Amazing building. Must say
Amazing building. Must say that I'm glad to see them starting work on the exterior. It's been crumbling and in need of repair for years.
Actually, when I was shopping
Actually, when I was shopping for sofas a few years ago, Room and Board was one of the few places that had slim, low-backed furniture. Couldn't afford it at the time, but their style meshes well with my sleek, modern aesthetic. Over-sized is the stuff you find at Jordan's, Bernie & Phylls, and more traditional stores like Ethan Allen.
Your sleek, modern aethetic
Your sleek, modern aethetic is ousting my delicious B3 burrito.
Furthermore: you can't afford to buy a sofa at Room & Board, I can afford to buy a burrito at Otherside.
Hey, I don't support the
Hey, I don't support the change! I was just correcting the impression that Room and Board has over-sized, suburban furniture. I think that's a TERRIBLE location for a fancy furniture store, and agree with others who mentioned that the Otherside is one of the few places to grab a tasty, low-key meal in the Back Bay. Veggie Chili 4-Ever.
What really irks me, is
What really irks me, is there's no-where else in the neighborhood that's has the relaxed atmosphere that the O-Side has. I live nearby and find most of the other bars cater to the weekend crowd and aren't suitable for a relaxing pint (except for the Corner Tavern).
The Other Side is (nearly) dead, long live the Other Side!
They said they were actively
They said they were actively looking to find another space somewhere in the neighborhood. Totally agree -- there are very few chilled out places nearby a bite and a drink. Bukowski is okay on a slow night.
I hope the city is getting a
I hope the city is getting a promise from Room and Bored that they will not be double parking trucks there in the (soon to be painted) bike or car lanes, and that they will be towing vehicles that do. Otherwise this seems like place better suited for the Copley Mall or another area with loading zones.
Parking!
Parking will be a major issue there, I can imagine many shoppers trying to double-park on Mass so that they can pick up their purchases.
I suspect that where the O-Side is will be loading dock and the rumors I've heard is that the structure the O-Side is in will be tossed.
Parking
I'm sorry to see the Other Side squeezed out of its spot; as others have noted, in spite of the hipster-central vibe it's always been a comfortable place to hang and the food's good. However, there's a parking garage just up the block at 425 Newbury, which has public parking as well as "Garage Condominium" members. And shoppers won't be taking furniture home with them - this will be a showroom, not an IKEA, and I doubt they'll have much more than some small accessories available for cash-and-carry.