On the passing of Locke-Ober...

If you've ever worked in downtown Boston, you would know Locke-Ober.  It's a place that is steep in tradition, for powerbrokers in the city to wheel-deal while having long lunches.  Years ago when I worked in downtown Boston, I used to go there from time to time.

Since then, I haven't visited the place for ages now.  While the place is nice, service is good, decor and atmosphere remind one of its long history, but the food is only decent, and it's outrageously overpriced.  I would not have gone there if I were paying from my own pocket.  That accounts for why I never look back on that place.

I haven't realized it until I heard the report on NPR that Locke-Ober is closing for good this weekend.  I even wonder out loud if I might want to take a special trip to downtown Boston to have a meal there, for the last time.  In the end, I've decided against it since I don't love that place enough to pay the price.

To be sure, it's just a matter of time before Locke-Ober closes door.

Its location hamstrings it, in a way.  The whole area around Downtown Crossing in Boston has been in general decline for more than a decade now.  Even bigbox stores like Filene and Barnes And Nobles couldn't sustain themselves.  It's only a matter of time before others like Macys go.  The newer stores moving into the area are generally of low quality, further accelerating its decline.  It's a vicious cycle.

Locke-Ober did try to change.  Albeit the tradition of all-male wait staff, it tries to move with change of time, by waiving the mandate of customers to wear a jacket, and even just allowing female customers (that only happens since 1970s - imagine that!) in.  But I just can't handle its heavy food - and how over-priced it was - anymore.

Oh, and the price.  With its steep price tag, I can more easily get better food, and service, and value, elsewhere.  Just the appeal of its history alone, is not enough to tempt me to make special trips to go back to the area and dine there.

Part of its appeal is its formality; but my kids dislike it.  I've come to dislike it too, given our increasingly casual lifestyle.

In a way, Locke-Ober mirrors the rise and general decline of Boston in the larger scheme of things.  Boston used to be trend-setter; these days, it's just treading water.  All the financial titans like Fidelity and State Street Bank are shrinking their presence in the area.  Startups prefer to move elsewhere (eg. Cambridge) that is closer to talents pools, like MIT, which is cheaper and provides easier access.  From a strategic perspective, Boston is simply not the center of universe anymore.

Long story short, I might still keep the Locke-Ober matchbox from years ago, but I won't shed any tears for its passing.  Sadly or not, it's time to move on.