7-Eleven to Replace Christy's on Mt. Auburn Street

In the not too distant future, Harvard students will encounter a new, but altogether familiar minimart on the corner of John F. Kennedy and Mt. Auburn Streets.

Christy's--purveyor of cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and caffeinated study aids for the Harvard community--will soon become 7-Eleven, Richard V. Scali, executive officer of the Cambridge License Commission, confirmed yesterday.

Scali's comments came on the heels of a public announcement earlier this month by 7-Eleven and its parent company, the Southland Corporation. Southland has agreed to purchase 132 of the Massachusetts-based Christy's convenience stores for an undisclosed sum of money and convert them into 7-Eleven franchises.

But both contracting parties are unsure of how soon the transfer of ownership will occur. Opinions range between two weeks and one month.

Martha Mengistu, manager of the Harvard Square Christy's, said 7-Eleven will take over the store on May 4.

Patricia Farnsworth, an attorney for 7-Eleven in Massachusetts, offered a more conservative estimate, setting the transfer date at some point before May 15.

For Farnsworth, the key issue is the transfer of Christy's liquor license to 7-Eleven. "We can't move until the transfer of the liquor license has been approved," she said.

Still, it is unlikely 7-Eleven's application's will meet with resistance when it comes before the Cambridge License Commission next Tuesday.

"No issues have come to my knowledge which would prevent us from approving the license," Scali said.

But he did mention that the application also has to pass through the Massachusetts State License Commission, a process which might delay the arrival of new management by four to five weeks.

At least this much is clear, though: Change is on its way for the only Christy's in Cambridge with a liquor license.

In addition to replacing Christy's orange and green logo with the yellow, red and green tri-color of 7-Eleven, new ownership heralds the introduction of a slew of trademark 7-Eleven services as well.

James Massey of the Southland Corporation explained that immediately after the takeover, Harvard students will A-1be able to enjoy frosted "Slurpees, 7-Eleven'sproprietary blend of coffee and the popularOscar-Myer Big Bite hot dog."

Furthermore, Massey said pornographic magazinesmay possible be phased out at the new store,citing 7-Eleven's policy of not sellingpornographic materials.

"We recommend that they not be sold," Masseysaid, "but franchisees are the ones thatultimately make that decision."

For their part, local store workers fear thepornographic magazines may not be the only ones togo.

"I'm not too big on change," said Eric, anassistant manager at Christy's who requested hislast name be withheld. "A lot of people will losetheir jobs."

But Massey was quick to quell those concerns.

"We need to keep everyone in the stores," hesaid. "Because we need people to run them."

Overall, Massey presented 7-Eleven's purchaseof Christy's, which he claims should be completedby year's end, as a positive gain for his company,its employees and customers.

The opinion of students, at least for now,seems equally optimistic about the transfer.

"I think it's cool," said Christy's patronJonathan H. Hollinger '99. "I like 7-Eleven."

Even local preservationist G. Pebble Gifford,whose Harvard Square Defense Fund has battledcorporate encroachment by the likes of Dunkin'Donuts and McDonald's, was hardly non-plussed bynews of 7-Eleven's arrival.

"They're both the same type of store," Giffordsaid. "It doesn't make a big difference to me."CrimsonJohn F. CoyleOUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW:Employees at Christy's worry about jobs.

Furthermore, Massey said pornographic magazinesmay possible be phased out at the new store,citing 7-Eleven's policy of not sellingpornographic materials.

"We recommend that they not be sold," Masseysaid, "but franchisees are the ones thatultimately make that decision."

For their part, local store workers fear thepornographic magazines may not be the only ones togo.

"I'm not too big on change," said Eric, anassistant manager at Christy's who requested hislast name be withheld. "A lot of people will losetheir jobs."

But Massey was quick to quell those concerns.

"We need to keep everyone in the stores," hesaid. "Because we need people to run them."

Overall, Massey presented 7-Eleven's purchaseof Christy's, which he claims should be completedby year's end, as a positive gain for his company,its employees and customers.

The opinion of students, at least for now,seems equally optimistic about the transfer.

"I think it's cool," said Christy's patronJonathan H. Hollinger '99. "I like 7-Eleven."

Even local preservationist G. Pebble Gifford,whose Harvard Square Defense Fund has battledcorporate encroachment by the likes of Dunkin'Donuts and McDonald's, was hardly non-plussed bynews of 7-Eleven's arrival.

"They're both the same type of store," Giffordsaid. "It doesn't make a big difference to me."CrimsonJohn F. CoyleOUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW:Employees at Christy's worry about jobs.