Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

[deguspice]

Many years ago, Mary Chung Restaurant (and a art house movie theater) was forced to close so Bioran (aka Quest Diagnotics) could build a facility at the corner of Mass Ave and Main St. It took many years, but Mary Chung's eventually reopened across the street. Last night, when Ann and I went to dinner at Mary Chung's Restaurant, I was surprised to find that Bioran and the parking lot behind it are now a large hole in the ground. I wonder if Mary Chung is pleased to have outlasted Bioran?

The new building's website has a webcam (if you scroll down) showing the construction. (the website shows that the parking lot behind it will return)


(I wonder what happened to the stained glass mural in Bioran's windows. Part of the mural featured scenes inspired by Mary Chung's restaurant.

Comments

[bikergeek]

Was the movie theater the Orson Welles? ISTR they were on Mass. Ave., no, although I thought they were between Harvard and Central?

[deguspice]

From what I remember Orson Welles showed classic films and the Central Square Cinemas was more into more alternative movies.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6561

Central Square Cinemas

"The Central Square opened in 1968. Located between MIT and Harvard, the programming consisted mostly of recent foreign films and revivals of mostly foreign films. Its competition was the Orson Welles Cinema further up on Massachusetts Avenue.

The most famous bit of programming here was Philippe de Broca’s 1966 “King of Hearts”, which ran for four years or so and spawned a huge cult following that gave the film new life across the United States. The Central Square Cinemas closed April 1, 1980."

[bikergeek]

Ah, OK. Different movie theater. Both way before my time.

I actually wonder how long Mary's is going to be able to continue in its current location, given the gentrification of Central Square.

[c1]

I have a sense that this isn’t registering on their radar. You can’t exist in a large city without noticing the continuing presence of cranes, and connecting that to the fact that your neighborhood will change some day. Yes, Mary’s had to move, but look at the upside: the influx of tech businesses was good to their bottom line. Remember the “good old days” when you could mugged in Cambridge?

[deguspice]

I suspect that Mary Chung, the owner of Mary Chung Restaurant is
a) very aware of the building across the street where her first restaurant was located
b) is aware that it's now a hole in the ground.

[c1]

Not what I would spend my emotional energy on, but different strokes for different folks.

[deguspice]

It took something like 10 years for Mary Chung to find a new location for her restaurant.