New Holyoke Kiosks to Open

More than 100 attended a breakfast given by Harvard Real Estate (HRE) two weeks ago to promote the new kiosks it will open in Holyoke Center in the fall, HRE officials said yesterday.

Those at the event included everyone from interested merchants to curious possible entrepreneurs, officials said.

HRE will open 10 kiosks, part of a project called "The Shops by Harvard Yard," in the Holyoke Center corridor in mid-September as part of an approximately $10 million renovation project of the office complex and the shops underneath it.

There will be eight "mini-kiosks" and two somewhat larger "maxi-kiosks," according to Deborah Byrnes of HRE. The mini-kiosks will rent for $250 a week plus 10 percent of all weekly sales over $1,500, Byrnes said. The maxi-kiosks will rent for $300 a week and 10 percent of all sales over $1,750.

The future kiosk owners will not have to put up with the construction at Holyoke Center for long, HRE President Kristen S. Demong said. "Holyoke will be finished ahead of time. We were supposed to be finished by January, but [barring any problems] we'll be done by Thanks giving," she said.

Demong said HRE was pleased and a bit surprised with the turnout.

"There were a lot more people than we had anticipated," she said. "It gives us confidence that the market is there."

HRE Vice President for Commercial Real Estate and Leasing Melanie Ray said the kiosks are intended to be a means to begin a business without putting funds into building costs.

She said that HRE wants kiosk tenants that fit in with the offbeat character of Harvard Square.

"Crafts and hobbies might be wonderful kiosk merchandise," she said. "There might be a kiosk that appeals to cyclists. There might be a kiosk that appeals to pet owners, but it wouldn't have pet supplies."

Ray said none of the kiosks will sell food. "Because we have a small number, we want the kiosks to be high quality," she said. "Typically the kiosk owners will sell goods they created themselves or will represent artists."

Deborah A. Daniels, who is currently negotiating with HRE for a possible kiosk, would seem to fit the description of the merchant officials said they hope to attract. Daniels said she hand-paints and decoupages (glues on cut-out shapes and varnishes) step-stools, hatboxes, serving trays and clay pots.

She said she originally began her business, Terra Potta, several months ago when she left a career in restaurant management business to stay home with her newborn daughter, and currently works out of a studio.

"I was thinking about doing the pushcarts at Faneuil Hall, but they're very expensive," said Daniels, whose husband manufactures some of the Faneuil Hall pushcarts. "Here you can get the best prime location in the city at minimum rent...It would be a way to get a great deal of exposure without a lot of overhead."

Frank A. McNichols, owner of Pulse Sport, said he had attended the breakfast as well but did not think the kiosks would be appropriate for his merchandise.

McNichols said he sells a great deal of sports clothing, which would be difficult to fully display in a kiosk. "Kiosks work well with themes," he said. "I'm limited because of size."

He said, however, that he is not ruling out the kiosks for another business venture. "I thought they were an original idea...If way they were constructed, the compactness, how they closed," McNichols said. "I think the rent is in the ballpark--I don't think it's bargain basement, I don't think it's outrageous.

"Crafts and hobbies might be wonderful kiosk merchandise," she said. "There might be a kiosk that appeals to cyclists. There might be a kiosk that appeals to pet owners, but it wouldn't have pet supplies."

Ray said none of the kiosks will sell food. "Because we have a small number, we want the kiosks to be high quality," she said. "Typically the kiosk owners will sell goods they created themselves or will represent artists."

Deborah A. Daniels, who is currently negotiating with HRE for a possible kiosk, would seem to fit the description of the merchant officials said they hope to attract. Daniels said she hand-paints and decoupages (glues on cut-out shapes and varnishes) step-stools, hatboxes, serving trays and clay pots.

She said she originally began her business, Terra Potta, several months ago when she left a career in restaurant management business to stay home with her newborn daughter, and currently works out of a studio.

"I was thinking about doing the pushcarts at Faneuil Hall, but they're very expensive," said Daniels, whose husband manufactures some of the Faneuil Hall pushcarts. "Here you can get the best prime location in the city at minimum rent...It would be a way to get a great deal of exposure without a lot of overhead."

Frank A. McNichols, owner of Pulse Sport, said he had attended the breakfast as well but did not think the kiosks would be appropriate for his merchandise.

McNichols said he sells a great deal of sports clothing, which would be difficult to fully display in a kiosk. "Kiosks work well with themes," he said. "I'm limited because of size."

He said, however, that he is not ruling out the kiosks for another business venture. "I thought they were an original idea...If way they were constructed, the compactness, how they closed," McNichols said. "I think the rent is in the ballpark--I don't think it's bargain basement, I don't think it's outrageous.