It's a sunny Monday afternoon and the Square is bustling.

The music pulses at Jasmine-Sola, an upscale Brattle St. boutique, as customers browse through racks of fashionable tops and suede skirts. There is a long line at the register. A young woman smiles as she pays nearly $200 for a pale silk blouse.

Down the street at Bertucci's, the outdoor seating is filled as customers enjoy a late lunch of pizza and salad.

At Upstairs at the Pudding-a high-end Holyoke St. restaurant-the lunch rush has ended and the staff is readying for dinner.

Owner Mary-Catherine Diebel pauses in her planning for a lavish Easter brunch.

"We're doing well," Diebel says, looking around the spacious, impeccably-decorated restaurant. "The economy was the first question on everybody's mind, but we just really didn't see any effect."

From stores selling luxury items to durable goods, these are cautiously good times for Square businesses.

Despite the stock market downturn that has economists warning of a recession, most shop owners say that their sales have remained intact due to the Square's student and tourist-based clientele.