Steffies South End (protest?)
Has anyone been by Steffies in the South End this morning? I walk by there on my way to work and noticed a rather large crowd protesting outside the un-opened restuarant. I am not a South End resident myself, but spend a significant amount of my time there and am aware that the neighborhood is less than pleased that the Newbury Street resturant opening another location on Tremont. I was just so surprised, I have never seen a protest like this in the area- does anyone know what exactly is going on?
By winstont
on Feb 9, 2009 05:55 AM
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Word is union workers were protesting that renovation work is being done by non-union contractors.
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This happened once before to a place that tried to open where Whiskey Lounge is/was.
They strike like this rather selectively.
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Regardless, I have lived inthe South End since 1995 and have never seens union people protest like this. Never. So I hope this is not an indication o what's to come from this Stephi place. On a side note, people are saying it should stay inthe Back Bay, that the South End does not need a chain restaurant and are upset about this.
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Was there a large inflatable rat involved? If so, that's a union protest.
Stephanies is not a chain. There is only one of them, after all.
If people are PO'd then protest by not eating there.
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I don't think calling Stephi's a "chain restaurant" is fair. I'm not a fan of Stephanie's on Newbury (to put it gently), but the South End has several restaurants that are part of larger restaurant groups whose original outlets were outside the neighborhood: Giacomo's, Toro, Mela, Petit Robert, the Barbara Lynch Gruppo joints, Coda, Oishii. Stephi's isn't a chain outlet any more than those places are.
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unions are protesting anything small and large now that they are all out of work. i've been to stephi's once ever and don't care for it but i agree with mc that it's totally unfair to call them a chain. i too lived in the s.e. even further back than 95 and it was the restaurants that finally helped the neighborhood thrive. we should be them a chance despite the unions.
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There's nothing wrong with not hiring these overpaid union hacks. They have every right not to eat at the restaurant either, which is good...more tables and cheaper food for me.
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