The story has been around all year, though. First word of the sign's probable demise appeared back in March 2007 in the Globe, when reporter Will Kilburn dialed up most of the Brighton Allston Historical Society's masthead for comment:
"My personal feeling is that it should be preserved in the neighborhood somewhere," said John Quatrale , who recently helped plan and open the Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum . "It may not seem very historical right now, but it could become a very special commercial artifact." ...Standing across the street from the "nuclear aircraft carrier" -- the brand, spanking-new WGBH headquarters -- the neon sign has definitely seen better days.
"I'm sort of neutral on it," said Charlie Vasiliades , the Brighton Allston Historical Society's vice president. "I've never been too enamored with the Dunkin' Donuts look, but I don't hate it either."
"That sign has never struck me as particularly beautiful," said historical society board member Eva Webster . " I'd take a big, robust tree in a town center over any large sign any time."
I've got a different proposal: get rid of the Dunkin' Donuts restaurant altogether. We've got enough of them already. The local franchise owner should be able to create an even more prosperous business catering to the hungry GBH-oids at meal-time.
What to do with that old neon sign in my new scenario? Project its image on the WGBH digital mural over the Mass Turnpike. Then we can enjoy it for all eternity -- and from miles away.
POSTSCRIPT (1/13/08): Read this story about this Dunkin' Donuts, a 20-inch crucifix, and Boston Police in riot gear.
2 comments:
Why would you think any other eatery would be more prosperous than D&D? With the hours that place is open, there isn't anything that would make more money than a Dunkies.
Removing that sign would be such a shame. It is real beauty, especially on an evening with a nice sunset, driving from N. Beacon towards watertown. The gas station next to it with all the american flags. This is how I imagined the USA, before I came here.
I am surprised not everybody in the historic society seems to appreciate the beauty and historic value of such signs. I know in Europe store signs from 100 to 200 years are now precious historic artifacts.
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