Downtown Crossing

Visitors to the city looking for a break from tourist-choked Faneuil Hall take note: Downtown Crossing is where many Bostonians really do their shopping. For bargains and variety within a three-block stretch, this central area can’t be beat. Washington Street, Downtown Crossing’s main drag, is a mere three-minute walk from both Faneuil Hall and the Boston Common. Shopping here also provides a convenient detour from the Freedom Trail -- three of the trail’s sites are located on Washington Street itself.

Discount Clothing
Shoes
Books
Jewelry, Music, etc.
Should I Buy from Pushcart Vendors?
Where Do I Start?
A Few Steps Away

Discount Clothing
The most famous of all Downtown Crossing stores has to be Filene’s Basement -- known throughout the area as the place for bargains. Bostonians either love or hate it, while visitors from out-of-town should be sure not to miss it. Filene’s Basement (referred to locally as "the Basement") literally occupies the lower two floors of the chain’s Downtown Crossing department store at 426 Washington Street. The Basement sells markdown women’s, men’s and children’s clothing as well as accessories and home furnishings. The items are discounted upon first arriving at the store and then become subject to the Basement’s automatic markdown system, which cuts prices by 25, 50 and finally 75 percent as merchandise remains unsold after 14, 21 and 28 days respectively.

Though you may have to sift through some junk, the Basement often features collections from famous designers and upscale department stores such as Barney’s New York. Overstock from other popular names like The Limited are staples at the Basement. And don’t forget about the "miscellaneous" items sold here -- we recently found a $230 American Tourister pilot case for only $99.

The basic rule of this markdown store is timing; if you hit it right, you’re sure to find a great deal. Of course, visitors can only hope to do so, but locals who are "in the know" make sure to stop in as automatic markdowns occur. The Basement also runs annual sales on specific items (such as wedding dresses and women’s wool coats) that draw huge crowds. Be prepared to jockey for position in the store’s already-crowded aisles on these days in particular. And male shoppers don’t fret: suit sales are advertised in the local papers as they occur. One last warning is in regards to the store’s return policy, which allows you only 14 days to get a refund. Leave plenty of time to stand in insanely long lines to return anything, and by all means avoid lunch hour on weekdays!

In order to compete for some of the Basement’s bargain-seeking clientele, both Loehmann’s and Marshall’s have decided to try their hand at Downtown Crossing. Loehmann’s, located at 385 Washington Street, occupies three narrow floors across from Filene’s. On first inspection we were not overly impressed with the quality of clothing, though the atmosphere is more upscale and less "down and dirty" than the Basement.

As for specialty discount clothing, both Eddie Bauer and The Gap Outlet are local favorites. Eddie Bauer, at 2 Devonshire Place (the storefront is on Washington Street), carries overstock and last year’s fashions from the well-known outdoor clothing line. Both Gap and Banana Republic merchandise can be found at the Gap Outlet in the Corner Mall across from Filene’s.

Shoes
Downtown Crossing also provides a good selection of shoe stores, including Parade of Shoes at 395-403 Washington, which sells the latest fashions at discount prices. Parade doesn’t carry markdown name-brand shoes, which are sold at the Basement, but instead features a few different discount makers. Most items are priced under $30 and you can find some good end-of-season deals.

Other familiar shoe store chains with locations at Downtown Crossing include 9 West, Kinney, Foot Action and Dolcis. Be sure not to overlook Aldo at the north end of Washington Street. This relatively new addition caters to the "hip" crowd and presents good quality at reasonable prices.

Books
The biggest non-fashion news to hit the Downtown Crossing scene in recent years was the opening of a fantastic Borders book/music store and cafe. It’s light, bright and airy and offers a great environment for meeting friends. The cafe sells coffee and pastries, and the music portion of the store provides headphones for listening to the latest CDs. If you are a bookstore addict, be sure to set aside plenty of time for Borders (at the intersection of Washington and School Streets) in your Downtown Crossing trip.

Some Boston traditionalists prefer to do their literary shopping at the area’s other book superstore, Barnes & Noble. The store’s two floors rival Borders for selection, and though staff is helpful at both, we found ourselves more comfortable in B&N’s more library-like atmosphere when solo book browsing. Each store offer discounts on bestsellers.

Jewelry, Music, etc.
Home to a multitude of jewelers, Downtown Crossing is often the first stop for Bostonians in the market for a wedding ring. The Boston Jeweler’s Exchange Building is located at 333 Washington, the Diamond & Jewelry Building at 387 Washington and the Boston Jewelry Exchange at 345. The prices at the stores within these city institutions certainly are superior to most department store counters or mall-based jewelry chains, but beware of some questionable vendors mixed in with the respectable ones. As with any other major purchase, common sense demands that you shop around before deciding which jeweler to give your business.

If you are looking to pick up the latest CD, do not buy it anywhere but Newbury Comics. Though other area music stores run sales on the work of chart-topping artists, Newbury beats their prices each and every time (most recent hits are $10.88 or $11.88). You also can find three- or four-dollar coupons for the store in local newspapers if you’re interested in a full-price CD or tape. Newbury Comics is located on the other side of the Washington/Court Street intersection at the edge of City Plaza.

Should I Buy from Pushcart Vendors?
As you weave in and out of the maze created by Downtown Crossing’s numerous pushcart vendors, don’t overlook what they have to offer in a rush to get inside the retail stores. You can find great gifts for your friends at home or pick up souvenir or two for yourself. Do try to haggle; while some vendors are employees and don’t have the authority to strike a deal, others own the carts and will cut a few dollars off their prices if you’re persistent.

Pushcart wares pretty much fall into one of five categories: jewelry, wool products, T-shirts, accessories and, for lack of a better word, "chatchkas." The jewelry carts offer great deals on silver earrings and rings, but most of the non-sterling items are junky. They also sell the latest in teenage style, such as beaded chokers and funky pendants. Chilly shoppers looking for a handmade wool sweater will be thrilled to find the $30 to $40 choices that usually come in oatmeal or slate gray. (And the wool patterned mittens and gloves make perfect holiday gifts!) T-shirt carts offer yet another economical souvenir option -- we even found heavyweight "Boston" tees for only $5. The sunglasses and hair accessories sold at certain carts are of negligible quality but can make nice "small" gifts. Finally, the last category of carts is one we don’t find all that useful. Though some of the items for sale here are marginally interesting, they more often are likely tag-sale candidates.

If you are walking the entire distance of Washington Street, don’t buy at the first pushcart you see. Though many are owned by the same companies and sell at the same prices, check with a few different ones to see if you can strike a deal.

Where Do I Start?
We recommend that you begin your Downtown Crossing journey at the north end of Washington Street (the intersection of Court and Washington) and work your way down to Filene’s and Macy’s. Walking this way starts you at the Old State House; you’ll also pass the Old South Meeting House. In order to get to the Washington/Court intersection, take the Green or Blue MBTA line to Government Center. As you exit the station, Court Street is directly to your right. If you’re taking the Red or Orange lines, the Downtown Crossing stop will put you outside Filene’s, where you can start at the Basement and work your way down Washington in the opposite direction.

One fact to keep in mind when planning is that, unlike the most of Faneuil Hall, Downtown Crossing caters to the working crowd and closes down by 6 or 7 pm. Even Filene’s and Macy’s close at 7 pm on the weekdays. The area also is lacking in decent eateries, so we recommend that you stop for lunch at one of the better choices elsewhere in the city before beginning your shopping.

A Few Steps Away
Though we know you can easily spend an entire afternoon in the stores along Washington Street, there are a few interesting side-street places just a few steps away. One is the Ainsworth Gallery, which offers prints and original art at 42 Bromfield Street. Right next door is the one-of-a-kind Watch Hospital where patrons stop in for a speedy battery change. Art lovers should be sure not to miss the Society of Arts and Crafts, located at 101 Arch Street. Over 300 retail artists from around the world and one gallery artist (the artist changes every six weeks) are featured here. Finally, novelty-seekers and bar-hoppers should check out the Littlest Bar on 47 Province Street. With a capacity of only 50 patrons, this famous Boston watering hole (it also was mentioned in the best-seller A Civil Action) is a perfect place to stop for an evening drink after a tiring day of shopping and sightseeing.

by Allyson Krieger

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