Sorry for the Break

It's been a little while since we've posted because we've had other projects to focus on. We've also been trying to figure out what is going on with Steve "nookie" Postal and his proposal for a restaurant/market at the Waterman II building. He presented at the 10/10 East Cambridge Planning Team meeting but we missed it. Anyone attend and know what the plans are? Here's a recent article:

http://boston.grubstreet.com/2012/10/nookie-postal-restaurants.html

Also of note, 2 of the 4 spaces we've looked at are now full.

Where could a market go?

Now that we've established the need for a market. Where should one go? There are several retail spaces available that are move-in-ready vs under utilized lots that could be perfect for a new building. Ultimately this decision will be determined by how much gets raised and the expected size of the market but it's still great to get feedback on what's out there. The best space currently available in terms of location and size is 1 Broadway next to Firebrand Saints:

This location is right near the Kendall T-stop and is closer to most of the businesses in the Square. It would be perfect for those hungry minds in the CIC and the outdoor space would be perfect for your morning coffee, bagel, and reading the paper (on your tablet of course). It would also be ideal for those who ride the Red Line as it's on their way home to East Cambridge.


Another available space is at the intersection of Binney, Galileo, and Fulkerson st:

 It's a little more of a hike from the stop but it's closer to the actual "square." This location would see much more traffic from the bio companies but is still a closer walk than going over the Longfellow for those Microsoft and Google employees. Again this is a great spot for people walking home to East Cambridge.



A more ambitious (read complicated) space would be the empty lot across from Fuji on Third St:

This one could be a big win for the neighborhood compared to it's current state as a storage space for Morrisey. It would be complicated because it would require purchasing or leasing the land and likely negotiating a little extra clearance from the building behind it. Probably the best location but again the most challenging. Would also take the longest to get up and running.


This one might also be on the difficult side but would be a great use of the old Boiler building:

Business in the back and market in the front with this one. Can't you just see the glass sliding doors on the third st side? It's right across Binney st from the one above and has been empty for quite some time. There is a business in the rear of the building but this one is definitely big enough to share.




Any open spaces we're missing? Any connections with a local building owner who'd be interested in hosting a market?

Photo Credits: ALL ME!

What kind of Market?

There seems to be some confusion as to what type of Market we're looking to bring to Kendall. We aren't looking for another corporate grocery store a la Shaws, Stop & Shop, or even Whole Foods. We aren't simply looking for a Liquor or specialty foods store like Mayflower, New Deal Fish Market, or Courthouse. We also aren't looking for another farmer's market that's only open for 3 hours 1 day per week.  We are looking for a small market that carries fresh (even seasonal) produce, meats, dairy products, basic necessities, and maybe even some bagels & smear from a local bakery...Bagel Rising anyone? This market could highlight local foods from farmers, cheese makers, brewers, etc. It might not be the place you do your weekly shopping but it should have everything you'd expect to find last minute or on the go. 

We've seen some examples of this type of market in other neighborhoods. Beacon Hill has several including Savenor's Market:

Harvard Square has Cardullo's.

Central Square even has that baby Whole Foods which would be the perfect size for Kendall:

Any stores we've missed or that you frequent? What do you want to see in a local market? 

Photo Credits: Savenor's - Irving House http://www.divide.com/; Cardullo's - http://bit.ly/QomnLE; Whole Foods - Yelp http://bit.ly/U4PyWu

Why we need a Market

Kendall Square is transforming into a neighborhood where people don't just come to work. The Archstones, LivLux, and ThirdSquare have added much needed housing in addition to the 200+ new units proposed for the corner of 3rd and Binney. With tech and biotech employees inhabiting the square during the day and professionals living at night it's in need of a place for picking up bread for lunch, some beer for after work, vegetables or meat for dinner, and where the hell does anyone get a good bagel around here? There is also a thriving community in East Cambridge that is forced to walk to Shaws or drive elsewhere. Where is someone supposed to get that last minute pepper or extra piece of steak for supper w/o taking 20-40 minutes? There is definitely the need and certainly growing demand. Just take a look at this map of the area and the "local" markets:


View Markets near Kendall in a larger map

The 2011 Kendall Square Customer Intercept Survey, conducted by the Community Development dept, identified a grocery store as the second highest need for the community behind a Pharmacy.

http://www2.cambridgema.gov/~cdd/ed/commdist/ed_survey_kendall.pdf

Having a more local place to pickup essentials is a logical next step.

Help us Build Something Great

My wife and I live near Kendall Square which has undergone significant change over the past 5-10 years, especially since we moved here last October. The influx of tech businesses (Google, Microsoft, Biogen, etc) and residential towers has made it a very dynamic live/work neighborhood which attracts a diverse range of professionals and families. Our little slice of the world between Kendall and Lechmere is incredible with the exception of it's void of a market to get fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, or even beer. We have incredible amenities such as Voltage, a plethora of fine dining (Za, Abigail's, Firebrand), fitness & health offices (JV, Bosse), yet no real market. Sure we have Kendall Market & Deli but their focus is on prepared foods making them more of a Bodega than a place to get your essentials. Yes we could walk to Cambridge st and go to Shaws or get a Zipcar to go to Whole Foods in Cambridgeport or Stop & Shop in Sommerville. Why can't  we start something here? Even our local government identified a grocery store as one of our top priorities for economic development. Why can't we have a locally owned and supported shop that sells eggs, bread, and a wide selection of craft beers and wine? It should be easy enough to raise awareness through the  interwebs and social media. It would also be easy enough to seed through a crowdfunding site such as Kickstarter thanks to the Jobs Act (not a politically charged statement but Congress actually did something?). I'm sure a local law firm would be willing to draft the legal documents probono for the publicity; businesses such as the CIC, Microsoft, and Google should be willing to encourage their employees to help fund it; and there are plenty of people looking for a job in this economy to run/staff it. We confess there's no business model, pitch, founding team, and the potential downside is unknown but hopefully we can spark the community to create something great.

Chris and Peg Mutty

You must be the change you want to see in the world.” -Gandhi