Innovative Container Businesses Open At Boston's Marine Industrial Park

BOSTON (CBS) – Shipping up to Boston is a new and innovative way to bring eateries and shops to an area where there is too little of both. The unusual part is it's all being done in shipping containers.

Outside the Innovation and Design Building in Boston's Marine Industrial Park, freight containers are re-born as mini-restaurants and small shops.

Two of the eight containers are open for business - Jubali juices, and Triangle Coffee.

"It's obviously an underserved crowd.  We've only been open five days and we've had a great response so far," says Ottavio Siani, the owner of Triangle.

Coming soon? Grilled cheese and burgers at Roxy's, Chinese food at Mei Mei, and fresh seafood at Yankee Lobster.

But the concept is not limited to food. Cut-Splice will offer quick trims and hair styling, and urban gardening supplies will be available at Niche.

This part of the Seaport District is near the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal and is historically industrial. The containers pick up on that theme.  It's also an area of small start-ups with a lot of young people.

"They want something cool, interesting and inspiring. We're all excited that this represents the next generation of what business can look like down in this area," says Scott Bailey, of Mass Challenge, a business accelerator that helps entrepreneurs.

All of the containers will be open for business by next week, and the hundreds of people who work in that area will have new places to grab a quick lunch or a cup of coffee.