A combination cafe/bar/ice cream shop in Cambridge has shut down, though a Somerville ice cream shop that is under the same ownership remains in operation.
According to multiple sources, Earnest Drinks in Kendall Square is no longer in business, with its social media indicating that the Binney Street spot had a farewell party this past Saturday evening. A note from the business says the following about the closure (including mentioning that they appear to be making new plans for the space):
We had a tough go of it signing a lease in one world and opening in a completely different one. We opened the doors in the teeth of the pandemic in Sept 2020, scrambling on a new idea every few weeks to keep the lights on. Since we opened, it always felt like we were a few months out from getting our legs underneath us which is an exhausting way to run an enterprise if you can imagine. Additionally, we never quite cracked how to communicate about Earnest Drinks in a way that broke through. Are we a bar? An ice cream shop? A cafe? Yes. We are! Is that scary? No! We're still meeting people who know all about Gracie's, but have never heard of Earnest Drinks. Anyway, for whatever reason, it didn't work and it's time to move on. And we're very excited about what's coming next in the space and will be sharing info on that SOON, but for now, THANK YOU.
The original Gracie's Ice Cream, which first opened in Somerville's Union Square in 2014, remains open for business.
The address for the now-closed Earnest Drinks was 399 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142.
(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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