The Kotobukiya Grocery Store: end of an era
Yesterday, Brian Chan brought to my attention this article covering the May 10th closing of the Kotobukiya grocery store in Porter Square. I was bowled over. My friends and I have been shopping at this place for over ten years, and it’s always seemed like such a fixture in the community and in my life. Even after being spoiled by the grocery stores in SF Japantown and Tokyo Fish in Berkeley, my appreciation of Kotobukiya did not waver and if anything was strengthened; at times, I’d find myself marveling, “Wow, here in Cambridge we have a cozy store that offers an incredible trove of cultural comestibles with selections that match and even rival stores in Japan and the Bay Area.” And I kept coming back for different things at different times: mochi ice cream and crunchy snacks as a high school student, onigiri and furikake as a college student, natto and カレーまん as a grad student… and much more.
Upon hearing about this closing, my BPR colleague Jess Man rapidly replied via email, “o no!!!!! that is so sad! i use to go there all the time! i love the japanese food court,” prodding me out of my shock, prompting me to visit Kotobukiya ASAP. There, I stood amidst mostly empty shelves, which were saddening and brought back memories of the delicious variety of foods that once abounded there, so many of which I have no idea where else they can be found in Massachusetts. The few shoppers milling about were listless, utterly unlike the quiet but lively atmosphere that once filled many of my moments there. I grabbed what bottles of sauce and packs of instant harusame I could, regretting that my backpack had no space to accommodate the lonely boxes of カレーまん that sat in the near-desolate freezers. Seeing the store in this state made it clear that the times of gleefully shopping and browsing here for my friends and I have come to an end, but I doubt the emptiness of the shelves and freezers have at all prepared me for the sheer emptiness this space will soon become for me and many others. Even with an expanded Lesley University bookstore there, the absence of the Kotobukiya grocery store will be glaring in my eyes. After the closing, I probably won’t go back to that area for a while, though I should — and I think we all should to participate in what I believe will be a still vibrant area of cuisine and culture. Fortunately for Jess and many others, the fabulous dining establishments are still open and bustling. For now.
Last 5 posts by sudo
- Places I've eaten at with Brian Chan, and sometimes Diana Wan: Flour - March 15th, 2010
- Places I've eaten at with Brian Chan, and sometimes Diana Wan: Sapporo Ramen - March 8th, 2010
- Rewolf: Asobi Seksu, you're even more mesmerizing! - March 1st, 2010
- An Evening with Sophia Moon: March 3rd - February 25th, 2010
- DUMB PROFESSOR: the latest from Randall Park - February 24th, 2010
Tags: Community, Food, local news, reflections.
3 comments
I shopped at that particular store before and it seemed nice. I’m still looking forward to the H-Mart that is supposed to be opening Burlington. But Burlington is so hella far from the city, so I’m sure the Kotobukiya grocery store will be missed.
this is only one of the asian markets that have closed in recent past. the yoshinoya in central square closed a year or so ago, and that small korean grocery on washington st in brookline has also closed… seems the smaller mom and pop stores are having a hard time while the 88’s are growing in size.
oh my god, that korean market on washington closed? i totally didn’t notice. damn you cmart! (altho i still hella shop there like every day…am i part of the problem?)
E: i hear that H-mart may not be going up after all?