Stores Near Finish Line Say

Sales Are Strong

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Aprll 17, 2014 12:28 M
Comebacks arent limited to the race this year. The
stores along the final block of the Marathon on Boylston
Street in Boston are looking forward to brisk business in
the next few days and on Marathon Monday. After the
attacks, the stores were shuttered for a week and a half,
as law enforcement declared the area a crime scene.
Being closed meant the stores took a hit in their sales. In
the year since, many of the shops have come back and
seen sales rebound.
The block of Boylston Street between and Exeter and
Dartmouth Streets sees the Boston Public Library along
the full length of one side. The shops across the street
have each tried to spring back in time for this years
Marathon.
MARATHON SPORTS
ConLlnue 8eadlng 8elow
Marathon Sports, which caters to runners, is likely the
best known of the businesses directly impacted by the
bombings. The first blast went off right outside its doors,
shattering the glass storefront window. Employees
immediately took to the street, setting up a makeshift
triage space. Many of the best-known images from that
day, including the ones that showed victims in agony
amid the blood on the sidewalk, were taken outside
Marathon Sports.
Dana Jameson was working at Marathon Sports when
the explosions happened. The store could have been
permanently destroyed. Instead, the assistant manager
says, business has gone up.
Since last year, people are figuring out who were are
and want to find out more, Jameson said. All we focus
on is running. Were a running store and were really
tight-knit with the running community.
Jameson says people do come into the store asking
about the bombing. That gets a little tiring, she admits,
but adds, Its more important to focus on the future and
how were going to make things different this year.
Sugar
Peaven employees Zayna McLelsh (lefL) and lsabel ALklnson
SUGAR HEAVEN
A candy store with a huge variety of treats, Sugar
Heaven sits practically even with the finish line. In the
wake of the bombings, Sugar Heaven needed to dispose
of $20,000 of melted chocolate and faced thousands of
dollars more in cleanup costs.
Today, things are much sweeter. The store is seeing
steady business.
Were doing pretty OK, said Isabel Atkinson, an
employee at Sugar Heaven. Atkinson lives just around
the corner on Newbury Street. She grew up in England
and is impressed with how Boston rebounded: My
anxious feelings! were put at ease by the wonderful
people of Boston.
LINDT
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At the corner of Exeter and Boylston is another shop
selling sweets this one catering to the chocolate
connoisseur. Lindt, the high-end chocolate shop, is inside
the Lenox Hotel and has a door that faces Boylston
Street. During the area shutdown, Lindt was closed to the
public. In an email interview conducted for this article,
Christine Bullen, a vice president at Lindt, wrote the store
did cater to one special group while officially being
closed.
Although our retail store was closed following the
events, like many others in the area, we opened our
doors to first responders and others working on the
scene, wrote Bullen.
Although the store doesnt disclose its sales numbers,
Bullen says things have been going well. Our business
remains vibrant, Bullen wrote in her email. Were
looking forward to supporting this years runners as they
approach the finish line and those visiting the city
throughout the weekend.
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AT&T
AT&Ts small store is primarily for customers seeking
new cellphones and accessories. But the company has a
big role in the Marathon.
Theres a real sense of community bringing all of us
together as we approach Marathon Monday, AT&T
Spokesperson Kate MacKinnon wrote in an email
interview conducted for this article. The race has always
been special to us, particularly to our employees on
Boylston Street.
While she declined to comment on sales numbers,
MacKinnon wrote that AT&T is undertaking a number of
efforts this year to expand its presence at the finish line.
AT&T has reactivated a text-to-donate line, allowing
people to donate $10 automatically to the One Boston
Fund by texting BOSTON to 80108.
MacKinnon also notes that the company is bringing a
service back that proved essential in 2013. Weve got
five free calling stations for finishers who want to find
their loved ones and tell them about their race. These
were invaluable last year.
Cerardo
uefabrlLlls, manager of 1he 1annery
THE TANNERY
Gerardo Defabritiis says he would rather his store, The
Tannery, didnt have the PR that came with the
explosions. But the Italy native says sales have indeed
rebounded. Defabritiis is a manager at The Tannery.
Right after the explosion, he and his staff took people in,
tended to them, and escorted them out the back door to
safety.
Business has been very good, said Defabritiis. Weve
seen an increase in business. Whatever the reasons
(are) we dont know exactly, but we have grown. I think
you could not ask for a better response.
Tragedies have their place in life, adds Defabritiis.
They can make people better, and thats what happened
to Boston.
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