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Porter Square Books to move to new location this fall
The 20-year-old independent bookstore is set to move its flagship store to a bigger space this fall. Here’s what to know.
Cambridge’s “fiercely independent bookstore” is moving its flagship location this fall.
This October, Porter Square Books will move from its current location at 25 White Street in the Porter Square Shopping Center to a new location at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue. The new location is 40% larger than the current store and will be renovated to offer more space, additional café seating, two customer bathrooms and ADA compliance.
Co-owner David Sandberg told Boston.com in an interview that he had dreamt for years of having more space for the bookstore to grow, but with two businesses book-ending the space on either side, a physical expansion wasn’t possible.
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So, when he learned that there was an available retail space in an art-deco style building on Porter Square’s bustling Massachusetts Avenue, Sandberg knew he had to inquire.
“This move is a terrific opportunity to provide for the long-term growth of Porter Square Books. It allows us to move to a bigger, nicer space in an iconic building right on Mass Ave., with a landlord that is focused on community building and local business,” Sandberg said in a news release.
The space is also closer to the Porter Square T stop, has bike parking, and will offer free parking on nights, weekends, and for the first 45 minutes on weekdays. Customers won’t have to go far — the new location is just 1,000 feet away from the bookstore’s current space.
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“A good outfielder could hit one space from the other with a baseball,” Sandberg told Boston.com.
Sandberg said certain sections in the store that are currently “bursting at the seams and could desperately use more space” will finally get the chance to expand in the new location.
The building is owned by Lesley University, but the bookstore will retain its status as an independent bookstore, according to the release. Sandberg said the university “sees a partnership with PSB as a way to build stronger ties to the Cambridge community.”
“We can’t think of a better home for Porter Square Books than Lesley’s University Hall, and we are looking forward to the grand opening this fall. Our students, staff, faculty and visitors will certainly enjoy browsing and discovering authors in their area of interest!” Janet L. Steinmayer, President of Lesley University, said in the release.
The bookstore, too, said they are grateful to have the university as its landlord.
“Buying a building in the Porter Square neighborhood was never going to be a possibility for us, but having a landlord that understands the value we bring to the community and works to cultivate that value matters. Lesley made it clear that they want to be that kind of landlord,” Josh Cook, co-owner and marketing director, said.
The move is bittersweet in more ways than one: the bookstore’s longtime cafe partner, Cafe Zing, will not move along with the bookstore. Cafe Zing owner Mark Ostow said the coffee shop will stay at the Porter Square Shopping Center “since we love our patio, and the new building didn’t feel like the right fit for us.”
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The bookstore’s new cafe partner will be Page & Leaf Cafe, which will be run by Jennifer Park and Tucker Lewis, founders of Somerville’s Diesel Cafe and Bloc Cafe. They will be joined in ownership by Court Verhaalen, the CEO of Forge Baking Co. & Ice Cream.
Porter Square Books will celebrate the move at its 20th anniversary party on Sept. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will include cake, refreshments, activities, speeches, and tours of the new space. All are welcome to attend.
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