RIP Cakes. How We Miss You - http://goo.gl/GwCjH

The problem is there is little or no parking, you can't pay the high rent selling just coffee to morning commuters. In theoory it would be great to have a cafe but the commuter traffic patterns and the lack any pull in parking make it impossible for a cafe to survive. And I doubt DD or SB would open a satellite so close to their bigger shops nearby...

It's too bad Archstone corporate won't be more reasonable with their rent to encourage a small business to open and become established. Empty store fronts detract from the adjacent residences and Archstone's corporate image. Reserved parking is in the rear, accessible from Aldrich Road. No impulse-buy business will make it if pull-in parking on Galen is critical to its success. Archstone residents liked Cakes and were sorry when it closed.

What I liked about Cakes was that it was kid/friendly. Watertown desperately needs an ice cream parlor on that side of town. The location is in walking distance from the Casey playground, People waiting for the bus would come too. Bicyclists (put in a bike rack to encourage bikefolk to stop). A sign could be put up at Aldrich Road indicating parking for that business so people can see it and know to turn there.

Above all PLEASE make it a local independent business.... i.e. JP Licks, Tocanini's, Rancatores.... top high quality ice cream, based in Massachusetts, and not a franchise. Archstone should give back to the town by keeping rent in those stores affordable for local independent businesses.

Put me down for ice cream shop in that space - with great frozen yogurt. Would be nice to have one just off the square.

I would LOVE a cafe, there aren't any independent coffee shops near the square, are there? I understand the parking issue, but lots of us take the bus to work, and the yard terminal is right there!