Please come protest the building of yet another Starbucks in Harvard Sq. There are already 2 locations in the square area. One to the left as you go to the Charles River out of the train station and one to the right as you go towards Brattle St., right out of the train station.
The new proposed Starbucks will be built where the old Tasty Diner used to be RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE HISTORIC SQUARE. It was the Tasty, then Abercrombie and Fitch, then Omega Watch shop. (In my opinion the reason no business stays there for that long is caused by karma from shutting down the 81 year old Tasty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasty_Sandwich_Shop but that is just my opinion.)
Ok the 'new' Harvard Sq wouldn't fit in with a place like The Tasty but another Starbucks is taking it too far into suburban mall look and feel. Its been gentrified enough.
There are two CVS drug stores a few convenience stores one selling liquor and many coffee shops. What could stay in that space for very long in this new corporate, gentrified style I dont really know. I am not a builder nor a business major. But I know that the city of my birth does NOT need yet another Starbucks.
Enough is enough.
There are already three in Harvard Sq. The space they want is right in the heart of the Square. I say it would ruin the nature of Harvard Sq by its very presence in this sensitive location. Like a fine artwork, one must watch every brush stroke in restoration so as not to destroy the original form. The design on Harvard Sq deserves such consideration.
Does a college with the largest endowment of any in the world need a Starbucks right across the street from it? I say its just tasteless.
The zoning hearing is a the Senior Center @ 806 Mass Ave Cambridge, MA. The meeting is on September 30th 2010. It goes from 7-11 pm but the post on the building proposing the Starbucks says 9:15 PM specifically.
