Nooooo! Filene's Basement to close for 2 years!
By Ron Newman - Sat, 01/27/2007 - 12:06pm.
Say it isn't so:
Flagship Filene's Basement to shut for makeover: News sends shudders through downtown
The original Filene's Basement store, where the concept of discounting was invented, will close for up to two years while its building is renovated, creating a void in the heart of Boston's downtown shopping district.
Sure makes a mockery of the big "WE ARE NOT CLOSING!" signs they've put up all over the entrances.
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Well, that's the end of
Well, that's the end of Downtown Crossing as a shopping area. Opening that Boylston Street "branch" showed anyone with intelligence that the suits wanted out of the old location - too "urban". They won't be coming back.
Two years?
Yeah, I'm not buying it, either. In January, 2009, the only Basement in town will be the yupscale one over on Boylston.
enough!
There is nothing yupscale about Boylston Street - whatever yupscale means for that matter. It might as well be suburban shopping mall plaza area #263. The Filene's 'Basement' on Boylston has nothing to do with the original in Downtown Crossing. If you have ever shopped in the Downtown Crossing location, you would know this. Downtown Crossing Filene's Basement sold high-end, well-made clothes at discount prices, whereas the Boylston St. location is devoid of such inventory and only carries overpriced garments you could easily find for less at Target and Wal-fart. Yuppies disappeared with the 80s - find another group to disparage. (yawn)
There is only one Filene's
There is only one Filene's Basement company. It owns the original store and the suburban chain, including the Boylston Street store.
Yuppieness has nothing to do with the closure. It's that Downtown Crossing has several large closed stores and is getting the reputation of being filled with gang youth and derelicts. That perception, true or not, hurts business. That's why it would not surprise me at all that the management has decided to focus on the suburban stores.