Beacon Hill doesn't have a bookstore
By adamg - Fri, 07/20/2007 - 10:59am.
Maureen Rogers hopes against hope that a bookstore will replace the killed-by-on-demand Fred's Video:
... We absolutely have enough realtors in the neighborhood. We're good on restaurants, coffee shops, grocery/convenience, and liquor stores. We've got a local, unchained drugstore and hardware store. A shoe repair shop. Upscale gift shops, funky "stuff" shops, and shops that cater to rich kiddos, skinny young things, prepsters who buy cumberbunds with lobsters on them, and folks who pay lots of money for handbags. ...
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That would be amazing!
That would be amazing! Charles St. definitely needs a cute little bookstore. But I'm thinking it will be a bank...
What Every Upscale Neighborhood needs
A dog cookie store!
That sucks about Fred's
That sucks about Fred's closing. When the City Video in my neighborhood closed, I made the trek to Beacon Hill to rent from Fred's Video. (I despise Blockbuster and Hollywood Video.) Though it was too far for me to rent from regularly, I do owe a debt of gratitude to Fred's for introducing me to one of my now cult classic favorites - "Cat People" with Simone Simon (1942).
Victor Hugo Books didn't survive on Newbury Street, perhaps it has a chance in Beacon Hill?
Hollywood Express != Hollywood Video
Hollywood Video is a huge national chain, but Hollywood Express is a small local chain in Cambridge and Somerville (3 stores, used to be 4). They like old and quirky stuff. Perhaps they could be persuaded to come to Beacon Hill to replace Fred?
Don't hold your breath....
The Beacon Hill True Value was such a great place too - it had that ancient dust-covers-everything smell that all cool hardware stores have. They had all the stuff for pulling together a great roof-deck.I liked Fred's when I lived in the neighborhood and would rent on occasion. They were decent on foreign films so that was good.
I think a bookstore would be great - something quirky, with space for used paperbacks. Maybe the Brattle Book Store can be convinced to open a satellite location now that much of West Street will be a mess with construction of the new Suffolk dorm.