Still Starting Up

But Raoul F. Moore, the property manager ofCharles Square Limited Partnership, says thatattracting customers to a new location presents aninevitable challenge with any new retail center."There's always a start-up period," he says.

"In any retail center you have to feel thingsout to find out what works and what doesn't. Theshake-out of tenants is not a surprising thing.Now we know what works," Moore says.

Many of the so-called "destination stores,"like Banana Republic, Laura Ashley, and Talbot's,attract customers to other shops which may nothave as large a draw, managers say. "We bring alot of people to this mall," says BananaRepublic's assistant manager, Susan L. Glidden.That store, with 65 other retail spots across thecountry, sells exotic, high-priced safari wear.

Katherine L. Maxwell of In-Wear Matiniqueagrees that the mall would do better if otherstores that have their own draw were added to theretail collection.

And this is precisely the direction the mallwants to take, Charles Square management says.

"We're focusing on the mid- to high-end ofwomen's ready-wear fashion. We want to be known asa fashion center, and we're being selective aboutwho we bring in," Moore says.

Many merchants and managers feel that the mallalready has an image as offering expensive,upscale merchandise. The mall boasts an "uppercrust selection of shops" says Tim Giarrosso, whoworks in Christmas Secrets, a seasonal shop. Themall seems to attract customers who shop the upperend of posh Brattle St. in stores like Ann Taylorand Crate and Barrel, says Venti, of thePapermint.

But others dismiss the elite image. "People arefinding out that, yes, it's beautiful, but it isalso affordable. There are things here foreveryone," says Hochman, of Crabtree and Evelyn.

New Advertising Gimmick

In its current advertising campaign, CharlesSquare has changed its tune. "When Was the LastTime You Shopped Charles Square?" the voice on theradio asks this fall. With businesses moreestablished, and increased customer awareness, themall is slowly becoming a success story.

Tremendous public relations efforts, retailexperiments and several "Best of Boston" awardshave played considerable roles in improving themall's customer attraction.

"We want to make Charles Square part of HarvardSquare, not a separate entity," says JanetPrensky, vice president of Aigner Associates, themall's public relations firm. Prensky's group hasbeen responsible for free summer jazz concerts inthe courtyard and fashion shows at the Ocean Club.

Two Spaces Still Open

Within the mall itself, management is in theprocess of choosing two retailers to fillvacancies, and the three which are occupied onlytemporarily. The Harcus Gallery and ChristmasSecrets are two short-term businesses designed toattract customers as well as test what types ofmerchandise are well received, Moore says. HarcusGallery sold out its first show and ChristmasSecrets was asked to return this year after lastyear's season, he says.