Are Three Floors Better Than Two?

The Boston Globe popped a little story in the business section this morning about another Menino belly-ache that he shouldn't be belly-aching about. The Filene's store that closed earlier this year has been home to a street-level discount bonanza serving as a clearance center for the Federated Department stores. The cramped, trashy store is selling a lot of wares at deep discounts on the first floor of the formerly six floor store. Menino is worried that the Filene's Basement store is losing business to the Federated owned store which still bears the Filene's name. The Basement has a long term lease on the two underground floors at the location and continues to offer the automatic markdowns it's become famous for. Our favorite part of the story:

"A lot of folks there are looking for bargains," Menino said. "The Basement is suffering because people think that is the Basement."

It's really important for the city government to concern itself with what could be the ineptitude of consumers looking for a bargain to read the signs pointing them down the stairs to the basement. It is, however, nice to know that Menino seems to consider the Filene's Basement store a bit of a landmark and worthy of city concern. Filene's Basement, once associated with the Filene's department store, was founded in 1908 and can be seen as the father of the term "Bargain Basement." Perhaps the potholes, crime, and hubbub about moving city hall haven't been enough for Menino, or maybe he's still pissed they closed the Dedham store – either way it seems silly for the Mayor of Boston to be complaining about a store that is keeping the lights on in Downtown Crossing until at least the end of the holiday shopping season.

Image of the site of the Filene's Store at Downtown Crossing courtesy of Flickr user amatern. Image of the pesky sign that actually tells consumers where to find the Filene's Basement courtesy of Flickr user cambodia4kidsorg.