Porter Square is a little shopping haven on Mass Ave on the outskirts of Cambridge. Most visitors and tourists don't travel past Harvard Square, and those who do don't usually stop at Porter Square. Consisting of mainly Lesley University property, Porter Square has just about everything to offer for those not afraid to walk a few blocks and find everything there's to offer. Discover the Porter Square Boston today with your New England car rentals!

A little history

Porter Square was named for the Porter's Hotel, a hotel which is no longer in business. It was operated by Zachariah B. Porter, who also left his name to the hotel's specialty, the cut of steak known as porterhouse. The square, formerly flanked by cattle yards that used the Porter rail head to transport their beef throughout the US, was an important center for commerce and light industry as early as the late 18th century. Unfortunately due to some hard times, the hotel was shut down and subsequently demolished in 1909. A relic of the cattle trade, a tunnel for moving cattle to and from the railroad without interfering with street traffic, survives under the nearby Walden Street Bridge, and has been preserved and restored. During the 19th century the square was leveled on the old Rand Estate in 1952 to make way for the Porter Square Shopping Center. In 1984 the Red Line was extended from Harvard through Porter and Davis Square to its present terminus at Alewife, a project that also left Porter with its most visible landmark, Susumu Shingu's 46-foot stainless steel kinetic sculpture entitled "Gift of the Wind." You can see all this and more when you travel with your New England car rentals to Porter Square Boston.

Major features

A prominent feature of the Porter Square skyline is the tower on the Art Deco-style University Hall building, which was a Sears, Roebuck store from 1928 to 1985. In 1991, Lesley University began leasing classroom space there, and in 1994 it bought the building, known then as the Porter Exchange building, in which it now houses its bookstore and art and dance studios, in addition to classrooms. In addition to its Lesley facilities, University Hall contains many (mostly Japanese) small shops and restaurants, including Bluefin (Japanese cuisine), and a Bally Total Fitness gym. The concentration of Japanese establishments has resulted in some referring to it unofficially as "Japantown-Cambridge" or "Little Japan".

Shop till you drop

The main shopping complex at Porter Square itself has a 24 hour Shaws supermarket, 24 hour CVS, a fantastic independent bookstore, fantastic independent hardware store, a toy store, a vitamin/health food store, and the usual fast food, Radio Shack, and liquor store. Take a pleasant walk with your New England car rentals back towards Harvard Square. There are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, and vintage clothing stores. Definitely worth stopping in Greenward to check out eco friendly accompaniments for your home, Stereo Jack's for used records and Raspberry Beret for all of your vintage closet needs. Going in the opposite direction towards Davis Square and beyond most of the shops are again on your right. You will immediately see Zing's Pizza one of the best pizza around the area), Stellabella Toys, Bob Slate Stationary, and McIntyre Used Books. Christopher's has the best food and drinks in Porter Square and Toad next door is a free venue to check out local music.

Before you go?

For more information when you travel with your New England car rentals to Porter Square Boston visit the Porter Squares Neighbor Association抯 official website at http://www.portersquare.net/