There’s great shops in Harvard Square where rents are even higher. Its just terrible tenant selection by Brown and Capstone who own most of the street.

Also, not many young people who aren’t students live around there to be customers of great shops. Why go all the way to Thayer when you can go to Wickenden, Ives, Westminster, Hope, etc, and not feel like you’re intruding on a college party… It is a bummer though—Thayer has a great streetscape.