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FACES IN QUINCYMark Bertman‘It could happen this time’
He was here when it was Shopperstown, and he has stayed through every revitalization effort. Through it all, Mark Bertman of Rogers Jewelry has a simple motto about rejuvenating Quincy Center. “I’ve been saying it for years - retail doesn’t bring people. People bring retail,” he says, echoing a sentiment that is likely to play a large role in the city’s current redevelopment effort. Since 1960, Bertman’s family has owned the store on the corner of Hancock and Granite streets on the ground floor of the landmark Granite Trust Building. In the early days, Rogers catered largely to Quincy residents who did most of their shopping in Quincy Center. But as the Shopperstown moniker faded, Bertman’s customer base changed, too. He’s now selling a lot more to people who work downtown daily. And despite a recession and the other problems facing Quincy Center, business has grown for the last several years, Bertman says. “Frankly, we’ve broken our rears to get people in this shop. We’re just very aggressive,” said Bertman. The prominent space of Rogers Jewelry in Quincy Center mirrors the role Bertman has played in the neighborhood for years. He’s been heavily involved in almost every effort to improve downtown conditions, most recently as one of the most vocal advocates pressing the city to do something about a perceived rise in crime and vagrancy in Quincy Center. He’s a member of a revitalization committee that has developed a 26-point plan to beautify Quincy Center and make it more attractive to businesses. He’s seen enough redevelopment plans to temper his enthusiasm about current prospects, but he’s nonetheless hopeful that major changes could be forthcoming. “It could happen this time,” Bertman said. “But I think you really need to be ready to use eminent domain and get a developer in here to make a commitment to downtown.” Bertman sees hope in possible zoning changes that could bring housing above the Hancock Street shops stretching from Granite to school streets. The idea is to generate more walking traffic to the area, which could in turn attract more businesses. “If you’re looking to open a store and all these people are walking around, you’re going to say ‘That’s the the place I want to go,” Bertman said.
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