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The owners blamed ‘considerable’ economic challenges, ‘including supply chain disruptions and escalating costs’

Cambridge-based Harvard Book Store will not be opening a second store in the Prudential Center, after its owners announced Friday that the project faced “considerable” economic challenges, including “ongoing supply chain disruptions and escalating costs” from the fallout of the pandemic.

It’s sour news for the Boston literary scene, which once cheered the opportunity to see the beloved bookstore expand inside one of the city’s busiest shopping centers. Now it is unclear what will fill the nearly 30,000-square-foot empty storefront inside the Pru, previously occupied by Barnes & Noble. (Prudential Center landlord Boston Properties did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

Co-owner Jeff Mayersohn said the announcement, while frustrating, offers a chance for the bookstore to refocus on upgrading the original Harvard Square outpost.

“While [the Pru] project has now been canceled, we are investing in improvements at our flagship Cambridge location, which has always been the heart of Harvard Book Store,” a statement from the bookstore team read. “The cancellation of the Pru project is humbling and disappointing.”

Harvard Book Store has only recently recovered from a pandemic-era dip in revenue, thanks to a surge in customers and hundreds of events and author readings last year, Mayersohn said.

“I’m pleased to say we are finally back to where we were prior to the pandemic,” he added. “That does not mean that we don’t understand how disheartening the news about the Prudential location is for the Back Bay neighborhood, and really, all of Boston.”

Mayersohn and his co-owners — wife Linda Seamonson, and John Henry, who also owns Boston Globe Media — once imagined the Pru location as a community hub, home to an expansive book inventory, children’s section, and event space.

The project marked the first major off-site expansion of the Harvard Book Store since the Harvard Book Store Cafe on Newbury Street closed in 1994,and a significant move under the leadership of the Henrys, who bought into the business as part-owner in December 2021.

In an emailed statement, Linda Henrysaid that the couple “are continuing to invest in Harvard Book Store to ensure that it remains a thriving, sustainable hub for readers, writers, and community voices.”

“Like the Globe, Harvard Book Store serves an important civic role,” said Linda Henry, who is also CEO of the Globe. “Just as local, independent journalism is vital to our region and our democracy, local independent bookstores are important cultural pillars in our community.

When the Pru location was first announced in July 2022, Harvard Book Store staff said the second storefront was the culmination of Mayersohn’s long-held vision to expand the business. And its growth was in keeping with the success independent booksellers across Greater Boston have found these past four years.

After long struggling amid the rise of Amazon, big-box stores, and e-readers, small bookshops benefited from a reading revival during the first waves of COVID-19. At least a dozen bookshops have opened or expanded in the Boston area since 2020.

Sadly, the second location for Harvard Book Store won’t be following the same trend.

“At the end of the day,” Mayersohn said of cancelling the Prudential project, “it was the right thing to do.”

Correction: A prior version of this story incorrectly stated that Harvard Book Store had not expanded into another location before.

The Cambridge bookstore cited “ongoing disruptions to the supply chain and escalating costs.”

Harvard Book Store announced Friday that it has canceled plans to open a second location in Boston’s Prudential Center.

The Cambridge bookstore had previously announced an expansion that would take over the space previously held by Barnes and Noble, with a planned opening of spring 2023. After delays, the store’s ownership said that the project would not move forward due to “ongoing disruptions to the supply chain and escalating costs” caused, in part, by the continued impact of the pandemic on the construction industry.

“The cancellation of the Pru project is humbling and disappointing. Despite exploring all available options, the lingering effects of the pandemic have continued to create considerable challenges for construction projects of this size and scope,” the bookstore said in a statement, adding, “our ambitious 29,000-square-foot expansion would ultimately prove unsustainable.”

The planned location was anticipated to have a “state-of-the-art event space” and “vibrant community spaces,” according to a release from the initial 2022 announcement. 

Instead, the nearly century-old independent bookstore will invest in improvements to its flagship location in Harvard Square, to “enhance the in-store experience, while continuing to enrich our commitment to customer service, our flourishing author event series, and our excellent inventory.”

In its statement, the store’s ownership thanked partners, John and Linda Henry, for their continued support. John Henry also owns Boston Globe Media, including Boston.com.

Independent bookstores in Greater Boston have seen a boom in recent years. Both Porter Square Books and Provincetown’s East End Books have both expanded with second locations in Seaport. Also new to Boston since 2020 are Beacon Hill Books & Cafe and Rozzie Bound Co-op.

The news of Harvard Book Store’s expansion was met with enthusiasm from the literary community of Boston. In Friday’s message to customers, the store thanked its community for the “overwhelming support.”

“Bookstores matter. They are an integral part of a deeply engaged community; places you turn to for inspiration, adventure, and learning,” the statement read. “Our top priority has always been to remain a healthy, thriving, independent bookstore — one that can continue to grow and serve our community for many years to come.”

Hundreds of visitors lined up on Brattle Street Saturday afternoon for the first day of the 13th annual Taste of Chocolate Festival.

Hosted by the Harvard Square Business Association, the festival made a successful comeback after a three-year hiatus. Featuring local cafes and shops, visitors were able to indulge in free chocolate samples, enjoy live entertainment and partake in special promotions at nearby businesses.

The highlight of the festival was the free chocolate tasting event at 1 p.m. that had visitors eagerly lined up an hour beforehand. One by one, chocolate-lovers picked up samples from participating businesses that ranged from toffee bites to hot chocolate and mini smores. Despite a seemingly endless line, businesses tabling were able to continuously hand out free samples for over two hours.

Along with mouth-watering chocolate delicacies, visitors also enjoyed live entertainment from Grooversity, a Brazilian drumming group. With its high energy drumming, wide smiles and synchronized dancing, the group easily got the crowd moving and jumping to the beat.

Around 2:30 p.m., the entertainment switched over to DJ Joey Finnz, who played a mix of pop songs, throwbacks and nu-disco music. As the sun came out, more people began to gather around and dance to Finnz’s set, contributing to the increasingly energetic atmosphere.

While adults sipped on hot chocolate-infused cocktails and wines provided by the Commonwealth Wine School, those underage were able to play ping-pong and cornhole.

Harvard Square businesses also embraced the festival with various chocolate specials and discounts for those looking for extra treats after the free tasting.

Through a shared love of chocolate, businesses and attendees alike were able to forge new connections.

Chocolate lovers convened at Brattle Street in Cambridge on Saturday, dressed in warm winter garments and eagerly waiting in line for hours to get their fingers messy with free, chocolate-covered treats from local businesses.

The annual Harvard Square “Taste of Chocolate” Festival was in full swing during the sweet weekend for its 16th year, featuring a three-day chocolate extravaganza to promote and support several Harvard Square restaurants, cafes, shops, and chocolatiers. 

Vendors from businesses including Bridgewater Chocolate, Blackbird Doughnuts, and Painted Burro were lined up in the square, dishing out free, fun-sized chocolatey items from their menus to the overfull crowds of people waiting to fill their entire plates with the desserts. At the end of the line, festival-goers were hunched over stone steps scattered throughout the square, listening to the drumming group Grooversity putting on a show and biting into spoonfuls of their treats.

“I’m a chocolate lover. We all are,” said Samantha Penino, an employee at MIT and one of many festival attendees who decided to spend their free weekend trying free chocolate. 

“When you have free events, you’re gonna get people from all different types of classes that are able to enjoy those things,” Penino said. “Really, the only cost of this is waiting.”

The line was long, up to two and a half hours for some attendees, but any type of waiting game was worth it for the chocolate, Brookline resident Hannah Topczewski said.

Topczewski tried a handful of chocolate sweets, her favorites being a triple chocolate donut with chocolate icing and chocolate sprinkles, chocolate mousse, macarons, and nitrogen ice cream from the business Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream. But, above all, Topczewski appreciated getting to be present at a free event that brought many from the greater Boston area to Harvard Square.

“Any free event is a wonderful way to bring together community,” she said, gesturing to a crowd of people dancing with ice cream in hand. “It’s just fun to see that there are things going on and if you don’t want to be in the house on a Saturday.”

The chocolate festival began 16 years ago as part of the Harvard Square Business Association’s initiative to support local retailers and restaurants during the winter months through its yearly Winter Carnival, said Denise Jillson, executive director of the association. The Winter Carnival kicks off immediately after the new year with the Boston Celtic Music Festival in the square, continuing until the middle of March with signature outdoor events like the chocolate festival and the upcoming chili-tasting contest.

“It’s just a way of bringing people into the square, regardless of the weather,” Jillson said. “It’s vitally important to the economic vitality of our district.”

For other attendees, the festival and its display are reminders of home, both old and new. 

Anu G. said they grew up in London, where free public events filled with music and dancing are frequent. As a current Boston resident, Anu G. said they appreciated the festival’s atmosphere and chocolate selections, even if it meant seeing trademark businesses. 

“I didn’t expect Dunkin Donuts to be here. It seems very generic,” Anu G. said, laughing. “But obviously, we live in Boston, so it’s going to be here.”

Many attendees pointed out that hosting free events for the public is an effective way to bring a feeling of community. For that, Salem resident Carina Debarcelos had one suggestion: more free events.

“I appreciate public events like this. I find it to be a really nice opportunity for people to come all over both local and the greater Boston area,” said Debarcelos, a self-proclaimed chocolate lover. “More communities should definitely do more of [these events] because it brings [people] together, even if it’s something as simple as chocolate.”

This year’s roast and parade through Harvard Square will now take place at a later date, according to a Hasty Pudding Theatricals spokesperson

The streets of Harvard Square will be a bit quieter on Friday, as Hasty Pudding’s 2024 Woman of the Year ceremony has been postponed.

According to a Hasty Pudding Theatricals spokesperson, tomorrow’s originally scheduled festivities — including the annual roast and parade through Cambridge — will now take place at a later date because of a “few unforeseen conflicts.” The Harvard University theater organization’s preview of its 175th show, “Heist Heist Baby,” has also been delayed.

“While we will miss our woman of the year this weekend, she is committed to finding an alternative date to parade her through the streets of Harvard Square and roast her on the Farkas Hall stage during the course of our run,” a spokesperson told the Globe over email.

A rescheduled date has not been officially announced yet, nor have the identities of this year’s Woman of the Year and Man of the Year honorees. The show’s premiere, as well as the Man of the Year ceremony, are still scheduled to take place on Friday, Feb. 2, according to details listed on Hasty Pudding’s website.

Hasty Pudding feted Boston native and “The White Lotus” star Jennifer Coolidge at last year’s celebration. Meanwhile, “Better Call Saul” actor Bob Odenkirk was tapped as the organization’s 2023 Man of the Year.

Previous Woman of the Year honorees include Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner, Amy Poehler, and Helen Mirren. Former Man of the Year honorees include Martin Scorsese, Robert Downey Jr., Justin Timberlake, Jay Leno, Neil Patrick Harris, Ryan Reynolds, and Paul Rudd.

Rachael Solem in a photo posted Jan. 1, 2021. (Photo: Rachel Solem via Facebook)

The proprietor of the Irving House, Turner House and Harding House guesthouses in Cambridge, Rachael Solem, died Monday at 68, believed to be the result of a blood clot, members of the business community said.

At a Dec. 6 board meeting for Cambridge Local First, a small-business organization she helped guide for many years since its founding in 2005, Solem announced that she was stepping back from her remaining business at Irving House to enjoy retirement. The business is run by her daughter, Briana Pearson.

The news of Solem’s death was “deeply sad,” said Theodora Skeadas, executive director of Cambridge Local First. “Not only was Rachael an unbelievably impactful board member for our organization’s entire history, but she was also a beautiful woman with a big heart.”

Solem bought Irving House in 1990 with partners. (Turner House, just up Irving Street, was intended for longer-term visitors.) Harding House followed in 1997; Solem updated the structure into a 14-room bed and breakfast with style: Marieke Van Damme, leader of the History Cambridge organization, recalled it as “filled for the next two decades with the aromas of quiche and coffee, quiet conversations and the bustle of guests with newspapers. On Thursdays, staff would set up evening wine and cheese services; when a new artist showcased their work, Harding House would hire a jazz trio for the opening.”

While Harding House closed during the Covid pandemic, Irving House’s 44 rooms in Mid-Cambridge stayed in business – accommodating guests as it had since its origins hosting Harvard University affiliates in the 1920s.

The news of Solem’s death spread quickly Tuesday through the city’s small-business owners; she was active in the community, serving not just on the CLF board over the years but working with the Harvard Square Business Association, Chamber of Commerce and History Cambridge – starting when it was known as the  Cambridge Historical Society – as well as the Cambridge Hotel Association and Massachusetts Lodging Association.

She is the mother of two CRLS graduates and grandmother of two Cambridge natives, one in the Cambridge Public Schools, according to an online biography. Solem lived with her husband in Wellesley, said Toscanini’s owner Gus Rancatore.