The Good Life in Downtown Boston Is Closing

A dining, drinking, and entertainment spot in downtown Boston is getting ready to shut down.

According to a tweet from @FortPointer, The Good Life on Kingston Street is closing its doors, with a Facebook post from the place saying the following:

…this is NOT a time to be sad. This is a time to celebrate with us. WE ARE STILL OPEN. So please, walk through the door, have a drink and let's make some final memories together. Save all the wishy-washy memory posts until after we're actually gone. WE NEED Y'ALL TO COME IN HERE. Anyways, we're open EVERY WEEKEND until Saturday, December 17. That is our very last night of business. So that's 3 weekends left (except for Friday Dec. 9 which is private). We intend to do something in the future, but it will never be like this again.

The Good Life has been around since the late 1990s, changing over to its current ownership around 2005 and being a restaurant, bar, and nightclub while also featuring local artwork as well.

The address for The Good Life is 28 Kingston Street, Boston, MA, 02111. Its website can be found at https://www.goodlifebar.com/

[December 29 update: Based on its social media, we have confirmed that The Good Life is now indeed closed.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Serendipity Cafe in Maynard Has Closed

A cafe west of Boston that offered coffee, tea, baked goods, and lighter fare and was also seen as a community center of sorts has shut down.

According to a source, Serendipity Cafe in Maynard is no longer in business, with the website for the Nason Street spot indicating that it closed its doors permanently in late June. The eatery, which first opened in 2014, featured live music and displayed local art over the years, while its menu included muffins, crepes, salads, and sandwiches.

The address for the now-closed Serendipity Cafe was 1 Nason Street, Maynard, MA, 01754.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Create Gallery + Cocktail Lounge Is Saying Farewell to Bow Market in Somerville

An eclectic Somerville spot that focused on cocktails and art is leaving its space.

According to a source, Create Gallery + Cocktail Lounge is saying goodbye to its home at Bow Market, with a Facebook post from owner Louis DiBiccari saying the following:

We're disappointed to announce that March 22nd will be our final service at Bow Market. I'm very grateful to the store owners here for embracing us as a part of their community for the last three years. CREATE Gallery & Cocktail will undergo some brand restructuring & relocate soon....Not 100% ready to say much more right now but the evolution of CREATE will get me back in a kitchen & I'm stoked to start cooking again....Thanks again for supporting our little nook on the second floor. Forever grateful

Create Gallery + Cocktail Lounge, which first opened in the summer of 2019, has been known in part for its draft cocktails along with its works from local artists. DiBiccari had formerly been involved with Tavern Road in Boston's Fort Point.

As soon as we find out more about the new concept from DiBiccari, including where it will be located, we will post an update here.

[March 29 update: A check on its Facebook page confirms that Create Gallery + Cocktail Lounge is now closed.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[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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Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge Opens at Bow Market in Somerville

A highly-anticipated new spot featuring cocktails, art, and music has come to a new development in one of the hottest sections of Somerville.

Eater Boston is reporting that Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge is now open at Bow Market in the Union Square section of Somerville, moving into a space on the second level of the complex which is located between Somerville Avenue and Bow Street. As mentioned before, the new place is run by Louis DiBiccari, who has also been involved with such spots as the now-closed Tavern Road in Boston's Fort Point and Eater says that parts of that place will "live on" at Create, which is a permanent version of his annual Create event geared toward chefs, bartenders, artists, and musicians. Food will apparently not be offered at Create, but patrons can bring food in from other places at Bow Market, while draft cocktails whose recipes come from local bartenders will be served at the place (a small selection of beer, wine, and cider will also be available as well). Eater says that art will be available for purchase as well, and music playlists will come from local DJs and others.

The Instagram page for Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge can be found at https://www.instagram.com/creategalleryandcocktail/

[Earlier Article]
Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge Plans to Open at Bow Market in Somerville's Union Square

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[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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The Gallery Opens Underneath Yvonne's in Downtown Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

A downtown Boston restaurant that resides in an iconic space has been joined by a hidden basement spot that offers a mix of art, culture, and dining.

According to a press release, the Gallery is now open below Yvonne's, a high-end "supper club" that took over the former Locke-Ober space on Winter Place in late 2015. The new space is accessed through Yvonne's Library Lounge by way of a hidden bookshelf door, with the downstairs space having rotating art exhibits and seven tables where diners can order from Yvonne's food and drinks menus.

The space in which the Gallery resides is the former Rebel Room, which had been used for private events and large groups; when Locke-Ober resided in the space, the downstairs room was actually called Yvonne's, a members-only club that inspired the name of the current restaurant.

Yvonne's (and the Gallery) can be found at 3 Winter Place in the Downtown Crossing section of Boston.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[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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Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge Plans to Open at Bow Market in Somerville's Union Square

by Marc Hurwitz

One of the owners of a now-closed restaurant and cocktail spot in Boston's Fort Point--and the person behind a popup in the South End--is opening a new dining and drinking place at a recently-opened development in Somerville.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Louis DiBiccari of the shuttered Tavern Road along with Humaari (at Wink & Nod) is planning to open Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge at Bow Market in Union Square, with the post stating that the idea for the upcoming spot comes from Create Boston, a celebration of food and art through events held in the local area. The brick-and-mortar location of Create will also focus on food, drink, art, and music, including the selling of art, promotions set up via social media, and 45- to 60-day residencies for artists, while bartenders from the Boston area and elsewhere will help collaborate on cocktails offered at the place. If all goes as planned, Create Gallery & Cocktail Lounge plans to open this fall.

Bow Market, which features a variety of businesses and food/drink vendors, is located between Somerville Avenue and Bow Street in Union Square.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[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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ONCE Somerville to Close Temporarily; Changes on the Way

by Marc Hurwitz

A music and arts space in Somerville will be shutting down for at least awhile, as it makes some changes that will hopefully keep the place going.

According to an article from Vanyaland, ONCE on Highland Avenue is closing on July 31, as it is undergoing a "transition to a new internal structure" and getting a "cosmetic facelift," with the plan being to open back up sometime in the fall. This comes on the heels of a rough stretch for the place which included a break-in back in May along with facing the high costs of operating the business, with owner JJ Gonson reaching out to the city for help while also asking for support from the local music scene. A statement from ONCE includes the following:

"Over the next few months you will see changes at ONCE. Our mission will remain the same....but we must transition and hone to keep the business viable....Although it is unclear what the future state of ONCE will be, we sincerely hope you stick with us in continuing to realize our vital mission of focusing on local arts and artists....though we are not sure when we will reopen, we hope to fill the Fall with even more exciting events to bring the cultural community that much closer together. For the love of art, and with sincere gratitude, thank you for letting us be your venue.

The address for ONCE is 156 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA, 02143. Its website is at https://www.oncesomerville.com/

[July 29 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that ONCE will close on Wednesday, August 1 (one final event takes place on Tuesday, July 31) and that the plan is to reopen in mid-September.]

[August 24 update: Vanyaland mentions that ONCE plans to reopen on September 16, and that it will be featuring shows that are booked by the venue itself and in partnership with Crossroads Presents, a Boston-based concert promoter that books shows for Brighton Music Hall, The Paradise Rock Club, the Orpheum Theatre, and others.]

[September 10 update: An events page indicates that the reopening of ONCE on September 16 will include their taking part in the SomerStreets Strike Up the Bands festival on Highland Avenue that day, with the festival including food, live music, a beer garden, and more.]

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[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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Celeste Is Opening in Somerville's Union Square

by Marc Hurwitz

A new Peruvian restaurant is on its way to one of the hottest parts of Somerville, and it will also focus on being a space for the arts, community events, and more.

Eater Boston is reporting that Celeste is planning to open in Union Square, moving into the space on Bow Street that had been home to an acupuncture clinic. The article says that the people behind the spot--JuanMa Calderon, Maria Rondeau, and Paola Ibarra--hope to make the restaurant a creative space for artistic collaboration as well, with guest artists, live podcasts, and the sharing of music playlists by patrons all being part of the plans. EB mentions that Celeste will include a seating capacity of 24, a bar overlooking an open kitchen, and beer, wine, and cocktails offered along with such food options as slow-cooked stew, ceviche, and specials such as octopus and mussels.

If all goes as planned, Celeste could be opening as early as February of 2018, though a specific opening date has not been given as of yet.

The address for this new spot in Union Square is: Celeste, 21 Bow Street, Somerville, MA, 02143. Its website will be at http://areaceleste.com

[March 7, 2018 update: A new post from Eater Boston states that Celeste opens its doors tomorrow (Thursday, March 8).]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[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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Spotlight Tavern in Beverly Has Closed; Auction Taking Place Tomorrow

A North Shore restaurant, bar, and music club has shut its doors, and an auction will be taking place at the site.

According to a source, the Spotlight Tavern in Beverly abruptly closed down last week, with a variety of items from the Rantoul Street spot hitting the auction block tomorrow. An article from Vanyaland confirms that the closure took place "very quietly and very suddenly," and it is not yet known why it shuttered (stay tuned for more updates as they come in).

In addition to live music, the Spotlight Tavern was also known for comedy and art events as well, with food offerings including mostly comfort food, pub grub, and American classics.

The address for the now-closed Spotlight Tavern was 208 Rantoul Street, Beverly, MA, 01915.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[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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Paint Corner Art Bar Is Opening in Cambridge

[Ed note: This article was updated on November 8 to reflect an opening date as well as an exact name given to the place.]

It looks like a different kind of bar is on the way to Cambridge.

Cambridge Day is reporting that local artist Leslie Belkner is looking to open a "paint bar" on Belmont Street near where the city borders Belmont and Watertown. The article says that the eatery, which would have seating for 20, would be a place where amateur artists could create paintings on a given night while people eat light, prepared foods and choose from beer and wine options. The city will take a look at her plans in May, so check back for updates.

[November 8 update: Eater Boston states that the paint bar (which will be called "Paint Corner Art Bar") is opening on Thursday, November 14. (Information via the place's Facebook page.)

The address for this new paint bar in Cambridge is 31 Belmont Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138.

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.

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