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[Lowerdeck]

Quote

SHREWSBURY—    Building 19 plans to close the store on Route 9 that formerly was  Spag's, demolish the quirky building and replace it with new stores,  apartments and offices.  

The town of Shrewsbury invited developers to submit  applications for affordable housing projects and received interest from  three groups, including one from Hingham-based Building 19, which  bought Spag's in 2003. The town will choose from three proposals, but  either way, Building 19 sees little value in keeping its store open  there, said Jerry Ellis, the company's founder and chief executive  officer.

  

Rest = http://www.telegram..../706270658/1116

I remember going to this place when I was younger.  This was a big deal, then Wal-Mart came into Oxford and Northboro and then came the end of an era.  The Fair, gone.  Spags, gone.  The Worcester institutions became memories, larger regional and national brands moved in.

I'm terribly disappointed with how the daughters of the original Mr. Spag (forgot his real last name) handled the store, before they sold it to Building 19.  And I was hoping Building 19 would keep some sort of heritage at the store, since they're quirky enough anyway.  Guess not.

[cloudship]

I am really kind of mixed over this - I miss the old Spag's. I agree that the kids really didn't so the place justice, and while I had hopes for Building 19, I don't think they ever really caught the idea that it wasn't just because the stuff was cheap that people went there. While many of the old stores have gone, and I don't think they could have competed with Wal Mart and Target, I do think Spag's could have survived. In any case, I think so much had been destroyed with Spag's as it stands now, that it is not worth saving. I would rather see it gone and remembered than desecrated like the new store does.

So, they are going to demolish the school house, too? That I could see saving.

[Lowerdeck]

Out of all them, the Schoolhouse would seem most reusable for some local or regional store to get in there, if they don't require a whole lot of room.  Furniture sales perhaps, or mattresses/bedding.

But apparently, they all are going by the wayside.

I might be only 22 years old, but even I knew something was different about Spags in my younger days.  Before the Oxford Wal-Mart, then the Home Depot in Auburn, was built ... trips up to Spags were frequent occassions, at least once every month if not more often.