Felix and the Square: The End of An Era

"I don't want to leave Harvard Square." Angelo W. Caragianes, the owner of Felix, Inc. at 1034 Mass. Ave., said last week. But he doesn't have any choice. His lease expires June 30, and a new tenant is moving into the spot where Felix's newsstand has been for 55 years.

Caragianes believes that the reason for realtor R. M. Bradley's refusal to renew the five-year lease is an unhappiness with some of the books and magazines sold at Felix's. On two occasions, Caragianes has been taken to court for selling allegedly obscene literature.

He was first a defendant about five years ago with the owners of Nini's and Out-of-Town News Agency-both of Harvard Square. The judge ruled that the magazines were not obscene.

Yesterday, Caragianes went to Superior Court in East Cambridge for another hearing in his appeal of the second case. He and an employee, Carl Koulis, were convicted in January, 1969, by Judge Haven Parker at East Cambridge District Court for selling obscene magazines.

Robert G. Crocker, property manager for R. M. Bradley, notified Caragianes by letter in late March that the lease would not be renewed. Caragianes was not allowed to bid.

The letter did not cite reasons for dissatisfaction with Felix's and Crocker has refused to specify the problem. Six weeks ago, he told a reporter that he was unhappy with "certain aspects" of Caragianes establishment, and that he had warned him about the problems, but that Caragianes had not corrected them.

Caragianes said at the time that he had not received any such warnings, and last week, he explained that R. M. Bradley had wanted to know all the details of the recent court case, but had not instructed him to stop selling the literature.

When questioned further by the CRIMSON last week, Crocker replied, "I've been quoted enough. I think you're wasting your time on this story." He refused to answer any questions.

Meanwhile, Caragianes is trying to find a new place for his business, which has been run by his family since its opening. He hopes to rent a building just to the M. I. T. side of Orson Welles Cinema on Mass. Ave. He should know within a day or so if he can have the new place.

Caragianes has no idea where he will go if he cannot obtain that spot. None of the other possibilities is anywhere near Harvard Square, nor near any other good business district.

The new tenant at 1304 Mass Ave. will apparently be Gnomon Copy, which now has an office located beneath R. M. Bradley at 99 Mt. Auburn Street. When asked when Gnomon Copy would move into its new location, store manager Miss Deborah Gilbert said, "I don't feel at liberty to say anything."

Crocker spoke about the new tenant, but refused to identify him, in the interview six weeks ago. "We decided we wanted a different type of business in that spot and we found one that is better for the Square and the community." he said.

Gnomon will be one of three copying services along a 150-yard section of the street. The other two are Copy Cat Educational Services, four doors away in J. August's clothing store, and Alice Darling Secretarial Service, near Waldorf Cafeteria.

Two others are C. W. Beane at 1075 Mass. Ave. and Reproduction at 1206 Mass. Ave. They are two or three minutes' walk from Felix's present location. A fifth service, Yankee Copy, is located in the back section of Felix's, and will also be evicted with the arrival of Gnomon Copy. It has not yet found a new location.

Caragianes is especially displeased that he was not given an opportunity to bid. "They (R. M. Bradley) told me I couldn't afford the rent the new tenant is paying. But why didn't they ask me?"

He said that new tenants had also tried to obtain the buildings now rented by the Harvard Barber Shop and Hayes Bickford-who also rent through R. M. Bradley. But both businesses had been allowed to bid. Caragianes said. Hayes Bickford chose not to, and will leave its location before the end of summer.

A representative from R. M. Bradley usually visits the block once a week. "Last time he came by, he told me that they regret their hasty decision." Caragianes said a week ago. "I asked him if the new tenant would be willing to negotiate, but he said that it was too late for Bradley to change their minds," he added.

Caragianes believes that R. M. Bradley has received a lot of adverse reaction, prompting its supposed regrets.

Caragianes was taken to court for the second time when a plainclothed State Trooper came into Felix's in December, 1968, and bought a magazine. A few days later, he returned with a warrant, and then seized seven more magazines and arrested Caragianes.

"They never gave me a warning," Caragianes complained. "If they'd just told me about it, I'd have done something."

Judge Parker, who sentenced Caragianes to one year in jail and a $1600 fine, said that the magazine "had no value and were purely pruriency." Koulis, the employee, was fined $500. Caragianes said last week that he had gotten the first magazine from a Rhode Island distributor.

Caragianes said that his lawyer, Herbert S. Swartz '53, is waiting for a Supreme Court ruling on obscenity. If the defendants are found guilty again, they are subject to imprisonment of up to five years and fines of $500 per magazine.

Among the magazines seized were "Flesh and Phantasy," "Darling Film," and "Barricuda: untamed girls in action." They showed naked women in natural and unnatural positions.

Things were much easier in 1916, when Caragianes' father and uncle Felix opened the store. It was originally a shoeshine stand until they brought in newspapers and magazines.

In the early 1950's, after the death of Felix, Angelo was incorporated into the business with his father Bill, who was affectionately known as the President of Harvard Square. He, too, died several years later, and Angelo has been the sole proprietor for more than ten years.

Caragianes feels strongly about keeping the business in the family, and almost all of the employees, both now and in the past, have been relatives. As a boy, Angelo and his two brothers came in after school to sell papers and shine shoes until 9 p. m. The shoe shine shop, which is now attached to the rear of the store, was sold a number of years ago but retains the name "Felix's."

The Cambridge Historical Society is apparently interested in obtaining the storefront when Felix's moves cut. Caragianes said that another man had come in one day and had also expressed an interest in the storefront. It appears that the front of Gnomon Copy will be of more modern design, probably done in aluminum.

Felix's was one of the stores in Harvard Square which was not at all damaged by the two riots in the Squore this spring. Caragianes said he was never worried enough to consider boarding his windows.

"The first time, on their way to the Square, the demonstrators came in here and bought candy and cigarettes," he said. He expected trouble to start soon, so after they left, Caragianes closed for the night.

Felix's has also had other controversial customers. In 1959, when Cuban Premier Fidel Castro came to Harvard to speak, about six of his aides, dressed in green jump suits, went into Felix's to buy souvenirs-Harvard sweatshirts and stuffed animals, in particular.

"Everyone crowded around to see if one of them was Castro." Caragianes said. "They all sort of looked like him."

The biggest crowd he's ever seen in the Square was when former President Eisenhower was campaigning in 1956. He drove down Mass. Ave. until a crowd of enthusiastic supporters blocked his car near the kiosk. "The people just all of a sudden converged on the Square, and he had to give a speech before they'd let him through."

Caragianes generally comes into the store late in the morning and is there most of the day until closing time. He has other income from an apartment building he rents, but he said that it was not nearly enough to support him. "This is my livelihood." he said with a smile.