Nightlife in Boston (Cambridge, Somerville: loft, employment, movie theaters)

[msRB311]

That's kind of how I feel about it-nothing good is happening after 2am. Most people who want the places open want it so they can sit their and get intoxicated. I'm sure it's awful working at places like that with a bunch of drunk people.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by MrDee12345

You live in Jersey, right? Whereas I do agree with you about having more late night places open, let's use accurate stats

MA murder rate: 2.7/100,000
NJ murder rate: 4.3/100,000

https://worldpopulationreview.com/st...-rate-by-state

I realize that NJ has a lower overall violent crime rate, but I'm most concerned about the most serious of all crimes

Yeah but we are also talking about areas with nightlife. The more 'nightlife' in a city, the safer it becomes.

Look at Belmar, Hoboken, Asbury Park since revitalization, Old Jersey City, Morristown, Cranford, Somerville v.s. other cities. The later things are open and the more foot traffic at various times of day, the safer the region typically is. I'm paraphrasing a lot, Rutgers has a few studies on this.

And when we say nightlife- it means vibrancy after dusk. I think you all are thinking nightclubs and strip clubs. Thats not nightlife. Nightlife is encompassing eveything. Taco Bell being open at 1am and bringing people in for a late night snack, is nightlife.

[BostonBornMassMade]

If New Jersey has a lower overall violent crime rate than your point is null and void.

Homicide has nothing to do with late night eats. But anyways NYC had a lower Homicide rate than Boston last year, again.

[BOORGONG]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Staffing is a good point. Probably near impossible right now. I actually agree with the underlying premise of having more late night places to eat. Boston was never really a "24 hour city" so to speak but we had many places open very late or all night and I was a frequent flyer at many of them. My preference would have been to maintain districts suitable for late-night entertainment rather than replace them with residences, but those possibilities were squashed two decades ago. The planning of the city since the late 90's has effectively expanded residential areas while reducing areas which were once amenable to these options.

I think Downtown Crossing area and perhaps Newmarket (now Mass and Cass) could be potential hosts of certain late night venues, if the city and businesses owners had interest. Development of Newmarket may also help resolve some of the current issues there. But placing late night alcohol-serving businesses into residential areas is not the way to go and shows complete disregard for the residents. I don't even believe there is a need or market (within the city) for businesses that focus solely on alcohol after 2 or 3 in the morning. I think those places would attract people from primarily outside the city and contribute very little to the economics of the city. This is especially true when you consider how much it will tax public safety resources. Nothing good happens after 0200. One just needs to read the police reports for late night hours incidents in areas in proximity to bars and clubs. And anyone who lives near them knows the deal. Some of the smaller cities or towns would be better positioned to absorb (and regulate) such businesses.

Yes, I am in total agreement with you. What good comes from serving alcohol ‘til 7 a.m? The same push for round the clock bars happened in Montreal, justified by tourism attraction, and as far as I know, it can only profit the bar owners, if everything but 24h chow places are open alongside.

Alcoholism is about the only end product of this policy, oh, and the brawls, knifings, shootings, and DUI’s just before rush hour starts.

[mdovell]

A few things to consider

operations of anything means that everything might be rescheduled. Ok so bars close at 4AM, does that mean deliveries get extended as well? Do we want to hear trucks on the road that early in the morning?

Who is going to work later hours? Working overnight shifts isn't good for people so the likelyhood is small.

A long time ago I worked in big box retail. Hours were 6AM to 10PM. Then we changed to 7AM to 10PM why? Because there frankly wasn't enough volume to justify that hour. We had tests for 24 hour stores but it was a loser. If you open up longer and they don't show you lose money.

Now I can get the whole longer hours thing but you have a few different demographics. Locals, people that work in the area (who is going to go back to boston after working in boston all day? even towns have bars these days) and spillover from other events (sports, music etc). Also if you don't have more mbta coverage (good luck with that) it means more driving later at night.

The average person holding down a 9 to 5 job is not going to be going out for drinks at 1PM on a tuesday. So at best this might be weekend shifts and friday nights..that's it.

How long do you think people will go to something for as a grown adult with responsibilities (work, kids etc). The way I see it an event I'll give no more than two hours and then I'm done. Otherwise it might as well be a sporting event and I haven't been to a professional game in 15 years.

We've already relaxed a fair amount. I mean the blue laws are pretty much gone although the time and a half ended which means sunday work attracted fewer applicants. Expanding operations doesn't always mean more customers. Like it or not but many businesses look at volume and margin and customer count all the time. Sunday alcohol sales didn't lead to more consumers and it was really low hanging fruit that can't be plucked again. We have more of a connected economy now. Now someone can order a meal box and it can tell them how to cook it rather than going out to dinner. Instacart and others deliver many forms of groceries so it gets a bit empty.

Don't get me wrong I think we should have more events and things to do but it isn't so much nightlife but rather attracting the businesses that would tend to be open longer. Gateway cities for example had eroded jobs which were filled with government and non profit positions that often are just 9-5 monday to friday with nothing on the weekend. This is why casinos were really sought and it had mixed results. I lived across from MGM in springfield and yeah some were amazed the place was open 24/7 (precovid). It is a safe place to be and meet people...but covid caused volume to drop. Yet at the same point I know of superwalmarts that don't close so what's the difference?

The weather places a huge role. No one really comes here in the winter, especially after the holidays. Boston isn't a winter city so expanding late nights when hardly anyone is around might not help. The summer sure. We'd have to have a different mindset from say Montreal and Berlin before we can make longer nightlife in the winter

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by BOORGONG

Yes, I am in total agreement with you. What good comes from serving alcohol ‘til 7 a.m? The same push for round the clock bars happened in Montreal, justified by tourism attraction, and as far as I know, it can only profit the bar owners, if everything but 24h chow places are open alongside.

Alcoholism is about the only end product of this policy, oh, and the brawls, knifings, shootings, and DUI’s just before rush hour starts.

It wouldn't be introducing more alcoholism, but it would certainly be enabling it. If you're regularly drinking in the wee hours of the morning, a "social drinker" you are not. But Massachusetts loves to enable addiction. Casinos, sports betting, cannabis, "harm reduction" the list goes on.

[BostonBornMassMade]

The fearmongering works to an extent but generally it loses out.

Casinos, sports betting, cannabis, tattoos, and alcohol sales on Sunday. They're all recent examples.

In the long run, it tends to get overruled by the will of the people and market forces. This is accelerated when the state loses much of its older native populace like Massachusetts is. Once a place gets filled up with people not from there- as is the case in Boston- attitudes start becoming very different, very fast.

It is no surprise our mayor from Chicago and or our Chief of Economic Opportunity was schooled in Atlanta. Sheena is from Albany- where clubs and bars close at 4am.

City Hall is decided on where it wants to go, it's going to be a matter of the state-level polls and the Governor's willingness to let Boston do what it wants. The city wants to create more vibrant neighborhoods and more positive experiences in general. it also would love the taxable revenue in the form of increased commercial tax revenue and increased property values.

There is a reason a place like DC or Seattle has a more highly educated populace than Boston in terms of % of adults with a bachelor's degree, and they have higher incomes. They're more able to retain young talent than Boston is. And they're more friendly to social entrepreneurs. For folks who have employment opportunities in competing cities, it comes down to the little things little QOL things for them. You can get newer housing, milder weather, and better nightlife in DC and maybe SEA than in Boston and in MA. Ppl want to remain competitive and we need to stop the region's workforce from shrinking. Nightlife is a part of that - when the cost of living gets to the point where it is now...

[timberline742]

It doesn't matter so much to me anymore, but I love that when I am in NYC like I was this past weekend I could hit an early show (doors at 8, start at 9) and then still make it to a second event around midnight, band goes on 12:30 or 1sh.

Here, doors at 9, no one of course is there til 10 (which is early) then closing up by 1ish. 3 hrs. Whoop.

[bostongymjunkie]

I don't see any "fearmongering" and the implication that people from other parts of the country have different attitudes than other people about issues like quality of life and social disorder is sophomoric thinking at best. Many of the same people who were partying college students 10-15 years ago, are now living as adults and concerned about such quality of life issues. Even those that maintain some of their youthful outlook quickly change their tune when people start puking and pissing on their stoops and rowdy loudmouths wake them or their kids at 0300. What people across the country tend to do is grow up. They tend to become more self aware and considerate of the world around them and then tend to become more wise. Some people, anyway. lol

[skeddy]

College kids keep the bars in business in Boston. People work from home, co-workers have become talking heads, heading out to a bar after work doesn't sound as attractive.