Filene’s/Filene’s Basement is still vacant, unfortunately, and Strawberry’s is an FYE. As someone who visits record stores — both chain and independent stores — quite often, I find FYE is a major disappointment. When I grew up in Philadelphia, I went to The Wall at the Gallery and Tower Records (first on South Street and then at Broad and Chestnut) and both chains were gobbled by FYE. The one at the Gallery was extremely disorganized (and it still probably is, assuming it is still there) and I never visited the other locations. But, when I saw FYE appear in New England — at first in the old Strawbeerry’s location and then at Buckland Hills — I was disappointed. Basically, as someone who still buys CDs and cassette tapes, I found they have next to nothing. Tower used to have a good import section and large Classical and Jazz sections. Even the Tower in Philadelphia used to have bands come to their store for record signings. The Wall just had a bit of everything, but no “junk,” save for a VHS copy of Grease 2 I once found there. I even still own a Smashing Pumpkins album with one of those old Wall stickers on it. And, with many independent stores closing, are those who still buy records and tapes stuck with FYE? Shoot, it just makes me want to start using iTunes now. Even with 5 floors at the former Strawberry’s in Boston, there really just isn’t anything good there musically.

The Filene’s Basement here in Atlanta might as well be Marshall’s or TJMaxx. It just isn’t the same.

This exerpt was taken from the “Grand Emporiums, Illustrated History of America’s Great Department Stores” Copyright 1979.

“Filene’s wasn’t the first bargain basement in department store history, but it was surely the most successful — it practically carried the store throughout the Great Depression when sales upstairs were abysmal. Established in 1909, and serveral years later the scene of a silent movie called “One Flight Down”, the first of many films made in a department store, the Automatic Bargain Basement differs in several respects from most bargain floors in department stores. Under the “automatic” scheme merchandise already bargain priced is automatically reduced 25% after 12 selling days, slashed by 25% more on items remaining after 18 selling days, and reduced by a further 25% after 24 days. Theoretically, all items go to Boston charities after this period, but very little merchandise survives shoppers so long. The Automatic Bargain Basement is operated by a staff that has included famous help like John Roosevelt, who began his business career here as a clerk when his father was president. Other stores have tried to imitate the operation, but none has succeeded, for Filene’s reputation makes the store the first outlet retailers approach when they have distressed, discontinued, or surplus merchandise”

“In 1940 the greatest bargain basement crush in history occured when Filene’s buyers purchased some 400 expensive dresses by Coco Chanel, Schiaparelli and other noted European designers as the Nazis advanced on Paris and shipped them to Filene’s famous basement in Boston where they were placed on sale for up to $49. Over 15,000 women from as far away as Chicago blitzkrieged the basement that morning, but, fortunatley for the feet of all concerned, this particular battle of WWII lasted less then a moment, the originals ripped from the plain pipe racks in under 30seconds.”

I was just in Boston a few weeks ago and stumbled apon the new Filenes Basement store near Newbury Street which is nice but it is not the same. It resembles the ones in New York City and quite honestly those stores have a lot of comeption…the flagship store is unique.

Even though the flagship store has clothes and accessories strewn all over the place there are still better bargains and items to buy there then in their newer version of stores.

I did read that the story will be closing temporarily for 1-2 years but that is still a big risk to take. Management could decide on bailing on the site, rent may go up, etc. and thus its a big gamble. We can only cross our fingers and hope for the best.

Also on the note of Downtown Crossing in general…I personally love it and we can only hope for the best. Downtown Crossing is a more down to earth retail district as opposed to Newbury Street or the Prudential Center and even though some stores have closed Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Eddie Bauer, Macys, H&M, FootLocker, Champs, Mens Warehouse and Express (to name a few) are still located at downtown crossing.

Also the Barnes & Noble at Downtown Crossing closed recently but I am pretty sure that closing came from the fact that there is a much larger and more modern Barnes & Noble about 3 buildings down from the Barnes & Noble.

As long as we’re bashing FYE, let me venture a little further down south and add Compact Disc World in NJ to the list of chains they’ve destroyed. For those unfamiliar, CDW was an indy chain with about a dozen locations littered throughout the state. Only three were left last I checked. By my last trip to one of the surviving locations (Eatontown) in 2004, much of the charm was scraped away; their discount club had become useless. They’re still there but I haven’t been back since.

Caldor, you managed a Newbury Comics? I officially love you now!