1. The FAO Schwartz Bear… At FAO Schwartz
When FAO Schwartz closed its
Boston doors in 2004, the iconic bear went with it.
But there’s an upside to this sad story, though. You'll never see the bear in front of the FAO Schwartz store on Boylston Street again, but it still lives in front of The Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center.
2. Classics At The Circle Theatre
The Circle Theatre was the place to catch many Paramount classics like “Rosemary's Baby,” “Three Days of the Condor” and “Chinatown.” The theater was renamed “Circle Cinemas” in 1976, and by the time it closed in 2008, it might have lost its luster, but none of its heart.
3. The Green Monster Catch A Ball At Fenway
The “Green Monster” mesh netting that kept errant balls from escaping Fenway Park and damaging surrounding property was replaced with “Monster Seats” in 2003. Not quite the same, but hey, more seating for fans means more chances to catch an errant ball.
4. Parking Near Fenway Without Breaking Out The Plastic
Buh-bye, cheap parking near Fenway. Starting in 2011, parking costs in Brookline rose to a whopping $22.00 for loyal fans. So unfair.
5. A Guinness Float At the Deli Haus
Sure, there were other places to get Guinness Floats in Beantown, but none were better than the Deli Haus at 1 a.m. But all good things come to an end, and the restaurant's German fries, excellent music and adorable wait staff all went the way of the dodo in 2002.
6. Buzzy's Roast Beef
Buzzy's Roast Beef finally closed its doors in 2006 and left a huge hole in the hearts of hungry drunks. The restaurant, the place to go for greasy knishes and barbecue sauce after last call, fed the stumbling masses. And since it was located right next to the Charles Street Prison, patrons often bought extra sandwiches and chucked them over the wall for the inmates.
7. Sorbet So Good It Made You A Grape Convert
When Mirabella closed, it took its sweet, sweet (but not too sweet) concord grape sorbet with it. RIP grape sorbet.
8. Marky Mark, With Or Without The Funky Bunch
Mr. Wahlberg's had a pretty varied career: Model, rapper, actor and producer, but his roots will always be in Beantown. We knew him back before "Good Vibrations."
9. DJ Kurt St. Thomas Propel The Next Nirvana To Stardom
In 1991, DJ Kurt St. Thomas played Nirvana's "Nevermind" all the way through on WFNX, making it the world premiere and cementing the station’s place in history. The station also helped break acts like Florence and the Machine, Franz Ferdinand and Mumford and Sons. Ending on the same song it started with (The Cure's “Let's Go To Bed”), the famous indie station went silent in July 24, 2012. To add insult to injury, the station was sold to Clear Channel, the Cheez Wiz of music.
10. The John Hancock Lights In The Same Way
The old John Hancock building lights have been announcing the weather since 1950. There's even a poem indicating what they mean. “Steady blue, clear view. Flashing blue, clouds due. Steady red, rain ahead. Flashing red, snow ahead.”
But in 2004, when the Red Sox got their miracle, a new light formation was created. “Flashing blue and red, when the curse of the Bambino is dead!'”
Bostonians will never see those lights the same way ever again.
11. Big ‘80s Hair Reflected Everywhere At Narcissus
Narcissus Club was the place to see and be seen in the 1980s – from every angle, because the walls and ceiling were covered in mirrors. When it closed in 1993 many people were left without a place to get their Salt n' Pepa on.
12. The Real Boston Garden
In a truly remarkable feat, the original Boston Garden was torn down to make way for the Fleet Center/TD Garden. Why was that? The new building was built a scant 9-inches away from the classic complex. All they know is the old building was pretty awesome.
13. The Truly Jaw-Dropping Amount Of Neon In Kenmore Square
You'll never see the iconic CITGO sign in Kenmore Square the same way again, because the five miles of neon tubing was replaced in 2005 by approximately 218,000 LED lights. Just not the same.
14. All The Best Bands Blow The Roof Off The Rat
When the Rathskeller closed in 1997, a million hats were metaphorically tipped. Bands as diverse as the Go Go's, the B-52s, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Beastie Boys, The Melvins, The Replacements and Poison all rocked and rolled there. Bonus: The Pixies.
15. Women Stripping While Shopping For Bridal Wear
When the bargain retailer of high-end clothing, Filene's Basement, locked its doors for the last time in 2011, it marked the end of an era. Not the least of which included memories of “Running with the Brides,” when engaged women would fight over wedding gowns like Monica in “Friends.” Dressing rooms were optional for women, and when in the trenches they'd try gowns on over their street clothes, or just strip down to their undergarments.
16. Popovers As Tall As A Chef’s Hat
For over 50 years, Anthony's Pier 4 was the place to go for fresh seafood like “Lobster a la Hawthorne,” prime rib and fluffy popovers, and was a favorite spot for more than one star (Elizabeth Taylor). When it closed in 2013, a little bit of Boston wonder went with it.
17. Another “Big Dig”
Sixteen million cubic tons of dirt were removed during the infamous “Big Dig.” The epic construction project started the planning phase in 1982, and finally wrapped up in 2007. The Big Dig was beyond huge and troubled and while it made commuting easier, it was also plagued with problems. While the project ended up costing more than the Hubble Telescope, it did give the city more roads and a tunnel named after Ted Williams. Tomato, tahmato.
18. The Unmistakable Flash’s Cocktails Sign
The sign for Flash's Cocktails looked like something out of a Bukowski poem, but the bar itself was perfection. Garlic fries, chicken sandwiches, and a great local microbrew selection along with a laid-back atmosphere made it one of the best bars in Boston. When it closed in 2013, it gave beer drinkers a good reason to drown their sorrows.
19. A Record Bin So Inexpensive And Awesome
From the mid-'90s on, Mojo Music had inexpensive new arrival bins, great obscure reggae 45's, and a slew of rock and roll from the '50s and '60s. They even had a listening station for customers. When they closed their doors, a loving caregiver to old vinyl disappeared.
20. Beantown’s Go-To Source For Paperbacks
Internet killed the local bookstore. Just one of the reasons the beloved Boston Book Annex had to close up shop in 2012. For 30 years the store was a draw for people in the Brookline neighborhood near Fenway. With over 50,000 titles in stock, it was a lovely place to spend the day. Luckily though, the owners still have their antiquarian shop in Jamaica Plain.
21. The Abbey Lounge’s Horrible Bathrooms, And Awesome Music
Loud, dirty and cheap, the Abbey Lounge both rocked and rolled with everything from Beatles cover bands to punk. When it locked its doors for the last time - the tinnitus faded long after the memories of the 3 dollar PBR tallboy remained.
22. The Sandwich Shop That Defied Racism
Back in the 1920s African-Americans had to stay in segregated hotels that didn’t serve them food, so traveling jazz musicians headed to Charlie's. Sammy Davis Jr. tap danced in front of the restaurant when he was a kid, and President Obama ate there last year.
The historic restaurant is closing in June of 2014, though, after 87 years of bringing old-school diner fare to Boston. Sigh.
23. Any Band As Cool As The Cars
They combined synth-New Wave with straight up rock and roll. Here's a triple dog dare, listen to “My Best Friend's Girl” without singing along. It's pretty impossible.
