0 Tesla to Open at 888 Boylston Street

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Business Journal

Tesla will be moving in Boston to Boston Properties newest building, 888 Boylston Street. Tesla will among strong peers in the retail tech space with the following neighbors: Apple, Microsoft, Verizon & AT&T just in a 2 block corridor.

From the BBJ:

Although Tesla spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson wouldn’t disclose many details, she told me that the company (Nasdaq: TSLA) is relocating its store from within the Shops at Prudential Center to the more visible Boylston Street space by the end of the year.

0 Clover Restaurant’s Flagship location Showcases CEO’s Office

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Business Journal

Ayr Muir, the founder and CEO of Clover wants to be in the middle if it all, choosing to put his office in the center of the flagship location at 160 Federal Street in the Financial District of Boston.

According to Bizjournals’ Boston publication, “it’s a move that likely has its roots in the transparency that Muir has been espousing since he opened the business in 2008 as a single food truck. The company’s employee handbook is posted online and mentions that ‘we’re going to ask you to learn (and help us learn) from EVERY SINGLE mistake you make. We love NEW MISTAKES, but we hate seeing the same mistakes again and again.’ Clover, which specializes in using data to track customer behavior and modify menu items, currently has nine locations in the Boston area.”

You can read more on Clover’s flagship location, here.

0 Millennium Partners Adds Downtown Crossing Cafè

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Bizjournals.com

Another caffeine fill up station is coming to Downtown Crossing to serve the ever-growing day and night population.

According to the Boston Business Journal, “Millennium Partners has leased a space in Downtown Crossing’s historic Burnham Building to Caffè Nero, a European coffee house, which will bring the 335,000-square-foot commercial space at the building and the adjacent Millennium Tower to full occupancy…The coffeeshop will be located on Summer Street less than half a mile from Downtown Crossing’s first Caffè Nero, which is located at the base of Millenium Place, another high-end condominium complex developed by Millennium Partners. Caffè Nero also has locations in Jamaica Plain, the South End and the Longwood Medical area.”

You can click through to jump to the BBJ article.

0 Boston Seaport District Lands Starbucks Reserve Cafe

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Wil Catlin

The Seaport’s 101 Seaport Boulevard will be home to the latest offering from Starbucks Reserve Cafes, AKA, ultra-Starbucks with a premium price of $4 per coffee.

Banker&Tradesman notes “the Seattle coffee giant plans to open one of its “ultra-premium” Starbucks Reserve cafes this summer at 101 Seaport, a 17-story office building that is anchored by the regional headquarters of PwC…Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz recently told analysts the company plans to build more than 500 “coffee-forward” Starbucks Reserve stores in select global cities. Decked out in rustic decor, the new stores offer small-lot coffee batches brewed with a variety of techniques including siphoning, pour-over, espresso and Chemex. The stores also sell Teavana loose-leaf and packaged teas. The new cafes also come with a price premium, with a small coffee selling for $4 at a location that opened this year in Manhattan, according to Business Insider.”

You can read the full article on the Banker and Tradesman website, here.

0 745 Atlantic Avenue Welcomes new Retail Tenant

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Wil Catlin

In the shadows of South Station there is a new spot to caffeinate your day, 745 Atlantic Avenue is now home to La Colombe’s.

Credit: Boston Eater

Boston Eater quotes one of La Colombe’s co-founders, JP Iberti:

“When I select a space I like to go in places where I feel like the neighborhood is a little bit underserved so you can really start kind of a bond with the neighborhood,” Iberti said. “It’s important with a cafe; it takes time to build.”

“The way we design cafes is more of a linear way, rather than stamping them out. You’re not going to see this cafe if we open two more cafes in Boston, three more; you’re not going to see the same bar,” he said. “Maybe you’ll see a sense of flow and a sense of space, in terms of how light comes into the space, how we move people, how we want people to feel.”

“For us, every cafe is kind of a continuation of the design. We try to make sure that people don’t focus on how many stores we’re doing,” Iberti said.

0 100 Federal Street Adding Restaurant and Amenities

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Boston Properties has plans and approvals to add retail amenities to 100 Federal Street in the Financial District. 100 Federal Street was built in 1971 and renovated in 1992. The building consists of 1,323,000 rentable square feet in 40 stories with 205 parking spaces below grade. Boston Properties purchased the building in October of 2014 for $877.76 per square foot. The building only has availability on the 33rd floor of 20,095 square feet.

Rendering of redevelopment at 100 Federal Street

Credit: Curbed Boston

According to Curbed, the “commission just signed off on the plans, which include 8,500 square feet of retail, 500 square feet of kiosk space, and an 8,990-square-foot, street-level winter garden under plenty of glass.”

You can read more on the plans on Curbed’s Boston publication.

0 Mobile Banking (Trucks)?

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BBJ

Your bank comes to you, no not via an App or the internet, but rather the roadways. This give a whole new meaning to mobile Banking. Look for this from East Boston Savings to service schools, nursing homes and perhaps areas of Boston’s CBD.

According to the BBJ:

East Boston Savings (Nasdaq: EBSB) has asked state regulators for permission to open a so-called mobile banking branch, essentially a bank on wheels, complete with a teller window, ATM, and space for two desks, not to mention security cameras and an alarm system. While mobile offices are relatively popular in other parts of the country, only one Massachusetts-based bank in recent memory, Century Bank, has applied for and received approval for a mobile banking unit, and it never put a vehicle on the road, according to the state Division of Banks…Assuming the itinerant office gets the government’s OK, Gavegnano wants to put the branch on the road as soon as May. Four clients have already committed to a weekly visit from the mobile branch, including a manufacturing facility, assisted living facility, and two high schools, and more customers have expressed interest, [East Boston Savings CEO] Gavegnano said.

The East Boston Savings branch will be staffed with two tellers and a full-time driver.

0 Starbucks Unveils “High-End” Spin-Off Cafe

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Starbucks high-end cafe concept, Reserve in NYC

Credit: Bisnow

Starbuck on a high end scale? Well, some customers might appreciate the vibe and who would have thought that a bottle of water would be more expensive than a gallon of gas in 2016?

According to Bisnow, Starbucks is trying its hand at upscale cafes, called Reserve, “where a 12-ounce cup of plain black coffee will go for $4—twice as much as the chain’s signature Pike Place roast…the store’s interior—with color palette evidently inspired by coffee—is an art aficionado’s dream. The walls are decked out with artwork for purchase; the center of the store is a cozy lounge complete with armchairs, sofas, standing lamps and a vintage rug; hand grinders and other coffee accessories are on display around the store. The menus—hand-lettered pieces of paper clipped to backer boards—include exclusive and rare coffees, with prices up to $4.50 for a medium serving.”

The Reserve brand originates from Starbucks’ specialty coffee line, and is expected to grow to 500 stores globally over the next several years.

0 Clover to Open Restaurant at 160 Federal Street

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BBJ

Clover is taking on more bricks and mortar with their recent lease signing of retail space at 160 Federal Street at the corner of Federal and High Street. The building has recently been acquired by Beacon Capital.

According to the BBJ, the “long-vacant retail space [is] located less than half a mile from Clover’s recently opened brick-and-mortar location at 27 School St. and its Dewey Square food truck spot…The ground-floor location at the corner of Federal and High streets spans 2,797 square feet has been vacant since American Express vacated the space in 2013. It’s currently being built out for Clover and will be ready for occupancy by spring or summer, said Dave Downing, director of leasing and development for GraffitoSP who handles retail leasing at 160 Federal St.”

The full Boston Business Journal article is available on the BBJ website.

0 Top of the Hub Boston Names New Executive Chef

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Wil Catlin

Stefan Jarausch executive chef at Top of the Hub Boston

Credit: BBJ

Top of the Hub has a new man at the top. Surrounded by views of our city and beyond Chef Stefan Jarausch is looking to make not only the view memorable, but also the culinary experience.

According to the Boston Business Journal, Jarausch “was previously chef at Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel where he oversaw the development and transformation of the hotel’s Oak Long Bar & Kitchen. He most recently launched Seasons 52 in Burlington where he served as executive chef and partner.”

You can read more on the BBJ.