The good news is that in a day and age when small, independent bricks and mortar retailers struggle to survive in the Amazon era, Newtonville Camera isn’t going out of business.
The unfortunate news is that the store — in operation for more than four decades — is moving to Waltham. They’re moving to the Colonial Shopping Center on River Street in Waltham, just over the Newton border and 1.4 miles from its current location.
Newtonville’s Walnut Street store will be closing Feb. 10, with a grand re-opening date expected in late March or early April.
While this isn’t good news for Newton it’s great for Newtonville Camera’s customers and for store owner Paul Roberts, his family and his employees.
And Paul Roberts is one of the good guys: civic minded, smart, compassionate and not shy about speaking his mind. Back when developer Robert Korff was seeking support for Washington Street, Roberts was one of the project’s most articulate supporters — even though the project meant he would need to relocate his family business. Roberts recognized that the project was going to be good for Newton and Newtonville, even though it was going to stink for him.
What happened to Roberts is hardly unique for mom and pop merchants who struggle to find affordable retail space. As the Globe reported earlier this week, the City of Boston has pondered this very problem but there’s no easy solution. I hope our mayor and city council will commit to doing the same.
One solution Roberts proposed to the candidates for mayor at a forum last year was to require developers to offer below market retail space as part of a special permit, presumably instead of some of the other many give backs that become part of the negotiations.
The best bad outcome, short of them moving to another Newtonville spot. We will continue to shop there, for sure!
I think that’s actually a great location for them and I suspect they’ll do well there!
I think this is an excellent idea to keep useful locally-owned stores in our villages and hope the City Council & Mayor will consider it.
I met Paul Roberts for the first time a few weeks at the January meeting of Friends of Hemlock Gorge that was presided over by Friends president and former City Councilor Brian Yates. I could see that the two of them had different takes on the Washington Street project, but what showed through even clearer was the love they have for this City and the respect they have for each other.
Tom Lyons of New England Mobile Book Fair while enjoying his new location on Needham Street next to CVS has proposed a similar idea. Do any other merchants or lovers of small businesses have any thoughts on the details of implementing such a measure?
Thanks to Bob Burke for the plug for Friends of Hemlock Gorge. We’ll be participating in the next Charles River Cleanup on the morning of April 28 and we’re looking for help to repair the 30 thirty year old roof of the stone building on Route 9. Any body got a supply of wood shingles or the means to apply them?
Paul Roberts is a great Newtonian. He has devoted countless hours, over decades, volunteering for the Boy Scouts. Because of him, many boys, including my son, have benefited. Thanks Paul. I am sad Newtonville Camera is leaving Newton, but I know your dedication and service to our city will continue.
Glad that Newtonville Camera will stay in business. I used to live in Newtonville but moved 30 years ago. Continued to travel to Newtonville Camera. Will continue to do so on River Street in Waltham – it’s not so far. A real loss for Newtonville Centre,
however.