A Tale of Two Squares

While the daytime traffic has been a source of profit to small businesses in the area, the lack of housing beyond MIT is a serious handicap to small businesses that want to extend their hours.

"We like this area, but for the business we need more houses. This is a big issue. There is no business on the weekend, and after 6 p.m. it's dead here," says Addi Mojahed, who is a partial owner of Arrow Cleaners, which operates in Harvard and Kendall Squares.

"There is definitely a different crowd in Harvard Square, it's much younger there. There are far more office workers here and fewer students," Mojahed says.

Other students say their square is a less accommodating place than their neighbor down the river.

"Kendall Square is an unfriendly place, compared to Harvard Square which has lots of street performers and vendors," says MIT graduate student D. W. Kim. "If you come here on the weekends, practically nothing is open. I'd expect some restaurants or something. Nothing is open past 7 p.m."

But MIT students are saved from this lack of entertainment in the neighborhood by having something Harvard students have recently clamored for: a student center.

"The [Stratton Student Center] is pretty much where people come to hang out, eat...it's actually a mall-type environment," says MIT senior Jerry Rivera. "We don't get into Kendall Square much...it's nice to have a lot of shops and things there, but the student center is the place we go every day."