There’s a great article in the Globe today on how Kendall Square reinvigorated itself through careful planning with an emphasis on attracting, supporting and developing independent, local businesses.
Kendall Square hasn’t gone from cultural wasteland to hotspot because it managed to fill empty storefronts with any business. It is humming because neighborhood leaders paid attention to who was filling those empty storefronts. Landlords and city officials came together purposefully to support local, independent businesses, and the response has been astounding. Nineteen independent restaurants have opened in Kendall Square over the past three years; not one has failed. These restaurants now provide the type of dining amenities Kendall’s neighbors and employers long clamored for. Because of their independent nature, they’ve also fostered a strong sense of community and local identity. Read whole article here.
I’ve worked in Newton for the better part of the last decade while living in Somerville. It’s been really interesting to simultaneously watch the changes in Newton’s villages and Somerville’s squares. Admittedly, in Somerville I have watched from the outside, benefiting from the time and energy of the city’s planners and vocal residents. In Newton though I have become friendly with many of the local businesses while promoting shop local initiatives and I would love to see these existing businesses thrive and welcome new ones. Reading this article made me wonder why we need The Street. As much as I love Pinkberry, Sweet Tart is just as tasty. And as exciting as it may sound to have a Del Frisco’s and Shake Shack, I really hope people are flocking to Farmstead Table, sycamore, and Waban Kitchen among others. The restaurant scene is becoming particularly exciting in Newton as Boston chefs, proprietors and managers are taking a risk and bringing the urban scene into our suburbia.
I think I’m a pretty standard 30-something. I’m not at the point in life where I’m looking to buy a house but when I am, I know there will be more to consider than living near a trendy neighborhood with great local eats, unique and independent businesses, and a solid and connected community. I’ll also consider where to raise kids, the public school system, and general safety and well-being. I truly hope that the Newton will be a community that can offer it all.
I live in Waban and wasn’t aware of Waban Kitchen. I am now and I’m going to give it a shot.
Ok – first: Kim, you live in Waban and didn’t see the sign change and the 2-day switchover to Waban Kitchen? Hmm…
Second- Kara, thanks so much for posting this. There are many arguments for encouraging local merchants of all kinds, but the local food scene has benefits well beyond filling storefronts. As the article (and you) note(s) there are positive benefits in terms of foot traffic, increased activity to other local retailers, and an increased sense of overall community vibrancy. It just makes it feel like an even nicer, friendlier, more active place to live.
We have been working on this at EDC for some time, trying to address some of the legacy regulatory hurdles facing restaurants looking to enter the village centers. It really is encouraging to see this boomlet of really great local restaurants.
Fellow V14’ers – Pick up your forks and maybe let’s also post a few reviews here?
The Kendall Square example is a great lesson for Newton’s villages to pay attention to. And I know Setti’s administration is supportive of increased citizen involvement in the various villages, with a belief that careful planning, to include multiple constituencies, can be a winning formula.
The vibrant restaurant scene in Newton is pretty much the one and only reason I have a job (and, I must add, the best job in the world :). As my time as the food writer for Newton Patch starts to wind down (I’m moving to CA later this year), I have to say that we have among the most diverse offerings for dining – in terms of not only variety of ethnic cuisine, but price point, ambiance, and formality – of any community in MA. Nothing would make me happier than seeing all of the villages of Newton marketed to Bostonians and the rest of the state as true “dining destinations!”