In August, Boston Magazine awarded CharlesSquare "Boston's Best Kept Secret" in its annual"Best of Boston" awards issue. Several stores inthe mall were honored with special awards, such as"Best Accessories" to Honore jewelry store, "BestPaper Goods" to the Papermint, "Best NighttimeBar" to the Ocean Club's Regatta Bar for thesecond year in a row, and "Best Christmas Party"to the entire mall, also for the second year in arow.

Merchants are proud of their awards--and oftheir products-- and they say patient efforts arebeginning to reap benefits.

"I'm doing a wonderful business," Venti says ofher second stationery store, the Papermint. "Mystuff is high quality, and I give my customer'ssatisfaction," she says. Venti's business hasdoubled in the last two fiscal years.

"I've done very well, and we're not arecognizable store," says Sydney Moss, owner of LePli health spa. "We're closing out our membershipbecause we are filled with 600 members," Mossadds.

Laura Ashley, a women's clothiers, has promotedits new location through direct customer contactin their other stores. "We've been doing wellsince day one," says the store's manager.

Because of their successes, both Zabin's, achildren's clothing store, and Talbots haveexpanded into the mall.

Retailers cite the underground parking garageand the proximity of Charles Hotel as enhancingsales. The validated parking is a "big help" inattracting customers to the mall, says Hochman."We get a lot of tourists from the hotel," saysGlidden of Banana Republic