Cambridge Forum partners with the Harvard Square Business Association to examine Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and the Black Lives Matter movement’s impact on the history of Cambridge, Boston and beyond.
Harvard Square is ever-evolving and, although longtime businesses have closed, many think the state of the square is healthy with a mix of landmark and newly-opened businesses.
Come along on an inside look at ever-changing Harvard Square from folks who know it best, like rocker Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band (he remembers when rent was $55/month)!
Although many iconic Harvard Square locations have closed their doors, the history of the location is continuing to be preserved. Including at Clover Labs, where a surprise behind the walls is now on full display
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Harvard Square was a center of activity, bustling with people shopping, eating, and admiring the historic buildings of Harvard’s campus. When the pandemic began, the Square took a hit — the stream of tourists slowed, and almost all students departed campus by March 15, 2020.
One year after Harvard undergraduates were sent home and Square businesses drastically shifted their operations in March 2020, the essential workers of Harvard Square and Harvard’s campus have worked tirelessly to keep the local community alive.
Over 130,000 meals have been distributed to those in need with nearly $1 million put back in the pockets of struggling restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on small businesses in Harvard Square, many have found themselves relying on supportive patrons and financial support from the state government to stay afloat.
After 34 years in Harvard Square, Border Cafe has shuttered its doors permanently following a two-alarm fire in December 2019 that forced the restaurant to temporarily close for building repairs.
If you take a drive around Harvard Square at night, it’s clear there is not the same buzz. Harvard Square, normally packed with students and those visiting from out of town, has been hit especially hard during the coronavirus pandemic.