Storefront profiles

Downtown Shooz, 307 Harvard St.

People take a look at the window of Downtown Shooz on Harvard Street.

"Mel's Capital Shoe" no more! A sign on the window of the store that had been on Harvard Street for more than 30 years announced earlier this year that the store was going out of business. But Mel is here to stay.

Melvin Kravitz, manager and ex-owner of former Mel's Capital Shoes

Melvin Kravitz opened Mel's Capital Shoe and then sold it to its present owners many years ago because of a back operation that was risky. The operation was successful and since then Mel has been working as a manager for the shop he once owned.

Recently the owners decided to renovate the store and change its name to Downtown Shooz. Melvin's name is no more on the sign of 307 Harvard Street, but Melvin continues to provide "personal, good customer service," as he says, to his old clientele.

Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St.

Brookline Booksmith has been catering to Boston's bibliophiles since 1961. It has gained three Best of Boston awards (for best bookstore in 1999 and 2001; for its literature reading series in 2000). But business has been slow in the last few months, Dana Brigham, manager and co-owner, says. She blames the war, the weather and the economy.

Even though a Barnes & oble opened two blocks away, Brigham has no plans of moving out of Coolidge Corner, "a great location in a vibrant, diverse community."

"The [business] mixture is better in Coolidge Corner," she says, "but [there are] still too many repeats -dry cleaners, eye glasses."

Harvard Fruit, 273 Harvard St.

Harvard Fruit has been in Coolidge Corner since 1907. "We have the best produce in the area at reasonable prices," says Sam Cassiello, who has been running the store for more than 50 years.

Boston Daily Bread, 1331 Beacon St.

For Houssami and Darwish Ramzi, owners of Boston Daily Bread, Coolidge Corner "is becoming too competitive and saturated." The two brothers opened their store in 1992. Business was thriving until 1998, Darwish Ramzi says, but "after that, we have been feeling the pressure of the economy."

He said he has been entertaining thoughts of leaving Coolidge Corner as soon as next year because of expensive rent and increasing competition. Cambridge or Allston may be the next location for the store's more than 50 different baked goods, including sandwiches and the famous triple chocolate bread.

Brookline's News & Gifts, 313 Harvard St.

"Everything anyone has ever asked for" can be found in this small store on Harvard Street, owner Michael Willner says. Although finding it can take some time, since everything seems crammed together. A recent visitor from Ireland said the store had a European quality precisely because it seems so packed - one could add that the European quality is also due to a discreet smell of tobacco and paper.

The store opened in Coolidge Corner in June 1963 and Willner says after the next five years it will still be "just like it is." Personalized customer service is the store's secret. "You have to walk that extra mile for every customer," Willner says, "even if it is only about a one-dollar product," such as a copy of a Greek American newspaper that Willner orders daily from New York for a Greek American customer.

Michael's Deli, 256 Harvard St.

Michael Sobelmon had been running a deli in Marblehead for 25 years, when he decided to move his business to Coolidge Corner earlier this year. He is excited about the "professional and educated people" that live in Coolidge Corner, but he is concerned about the lack of parking in the area. He sees his business "tripling" in the next five years.

DIMITRIOS ANGELIDIS