Business

Schilling strikes out

adamg — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:34:46 +0000

Allston bar gets permission to stay open until 2, just like the other bars

adamg — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:12:07 +0000

The Boston Licensing Board today gave the Avenue Bar and Grill on Comm. Ave. permission to extend its closing time from 1 to 2 a.m.

Some residents of a neighboring condo building objected, as did the offices of the mayor and City Councilor Mark Ciommo, but the board agreed with owner Douglas Bacon that he's run a fine operation with no problems since he bought the place a year ago and that he deserves to offer service as late as other nearby establishments for customers getting off late shifts. Bacon told the board he would serve food right until closing.

How about a discount Nordstrom on Boylston Street?

adamg — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:51:59 +0000

The Globe reports the chain is looking at the old Filene's Basement location on Boylston Street for a Nordstrom Rack.

Cambridge journalist to local businesses: No more Mr. Nice Guy

adamg — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:10:41 +0000

Mark Levy at Cambridge Day puts Cambridge businesses on record: If you put a giant "Going Out of Business" sale in your window, he's going to write about it, even if you ask him not to. He's tired of getting scooped on stories he knew about first.

Targeted ad boosts South End doggie bakery

adamg — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:36:03 +0000

Hollywood East Connection talks to Deborah Gregg, owner of the Polka Dog Bakery, about the newfound fame that comes from being featured in a national TV ad for Target.

But will they rename it WSUX?

adamg — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:49:44 +0000

The Boston Business Journal reports the Phoenix has sold WFNX to Clear Channel and that pretty much everybody but ~~news anchor Ted Baxter~~ Program Director Paul Driscoll has been let go. The station could go to Spanish or country and western.

Group wants to grab the City that Always Sleeps by the shoulders and shake it awake

adamg — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:42:34 +0000

BostInno interviews Greg Selkoe, CEO of Karmaloop and founder of something called the Future Boston Alliance, which wants to transform Boston into a city that doesn't roll up its sidewalks every night. Starting with gyms. Why doesn't Boston allow all-night gyms? And no, Boston Bowl doesn't count.

Maybe just as well we let Curt Schilling move his company to Rhode Island

adamg — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:42:52 +0000

Massachusetts has failed solar companies and Rhode Island might soon have Curt Schilling. The Providence Journal reports Gov. Lincoln Chafee spent his weekend trying to figure out how to keep Schilling's game company "solvent," because otherwise the state might be out the $75 million it loaned it to get it to move from its original home in Maynard. Schilling has often said he doesn't want government handouts.

Harvard Bookstore not only survives Amazon onslaught, it thrives

adamg — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:21:14 +0000

Forbes interviews the Harvard Book Store's new owner, Jeff Mayersohn.

I respected his mission, even if I didn’t quite believe in its future. So, Jeff shocked me a couple of weeks ago, when he told me with a certain amount of pride and pleasure that he has been seeing double digit sales growth month by month over the last year.

Shocked city councilors demand independent oversight of NStar transformers

adamg — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:43:17 +0000

At a hearing next week, Boston councilors will demand answers from NStar on two recent transformer problems in the Back Bay, one of which left much of the neighborhood without power for several days.

Council President Steve Murphy says he wants more than just soothing words from the utility - he wants somebody independent of the company to start monitoring the way it delivers power in Boston.

Arlington Heights Brigham's becomes a frozen asset

Ron Newman — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:59:21 +0000

State tax officials seized and closed one of the few remaining Brigham's restaurants today, claiming that it owed over $92,000 in meals taxes dating back to 2009.

Another Brigham's on Trapelo Road in Belmont, owned by the same people, closed in January. That location is now the home of Moozy's Ice Cream.

The Arlington Heights Brigham's could reopen if its owners make a significant down payment on their taxes within the next few weeks.

Aetna vs. Tufts: Which would you choose?

Jay Levitt — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:54:55 +0000

My new employer offers a choice of Aetna vs. Tufts PPOs. I know we have a few health care workers here; does anyone have opinions about the general quality and breadth of the two networks, access to specialists, and how much "utilization review" red tape I'll have thrown at me? I have a number of chronic, difficult-to-diagnose symptom clusters, and I've been lucky enough to have Blue Cross for 10 years - they'll approve anything once they see a medical necessity letter.

Brookline Booksmith buys what's left of the Globe Corner Bookstore, expands travel section in Brookline

adamg — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:07:37 +0000

Brookline Booksmith announced today it's bought out the Globe Corner Bookstore - which had become an online-only venture - and is using its assets to open a "Globe Corner Travel Annex" at its Coolidge Corner store.

The move means impending travelers can now buy any of 2,000 different maps of regions around the world. globecorner.com remains a separate Web site, at least until Booksmith can integrate it into its own Web site.

Citizens Bank to pay $137.5 million to make lawsuit over questionable overdraft fees go away

adamg — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:44:11 +0000

The bank declined to admit it jiggered its transaction software to increase the odds patrons would rack up overdraft fees, says it's pleased to move forward and "provide our customers with choices to help them manage their accounts and their finances," the Globe reports.

$300-million project proposed for long vacant lot across from police headquarters

adamg — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:07:55 +0000

The Boston Business Journal reports on the proposed Tremont Crossing that would include apartments, retail and office space and a new museum for the National Center for Afro-American Artists.

Developer Elma Lewis Partners, LLC has long struggled to get the first shovel in the ground for a project on the land. At one point, the BRA revoked its development rights to the land, but gave it back after an outcry from Roxbury residents. The current proposal is in conjunction with Feldco Development.