Ball Square

This is a view of Ball Square, looking north up Broadway from the corner of Boston Avenue.

Ball Square is a neighborhood in Somerville, Massachusetts at the intersection of Boston Avenue and Broadway, located between Powder House Square and Magoun Square. It is primarily a residential area with a handful of shops and restaurants along Broadway. Located on the edge of the neighborhood surrounding Tufts University, Ball Square contains a mix of businesses serving the student and academic populations as well as those reflecting the more blue-collar neighborhoods to the east. These establishments include Victor's Deli, Kelly's Diner and Sound Bites, both popular for breakfast, a coffee shop, True Grounds, Lyndell's Bakery and Somerville mainstay Victor's sub shop. The Brown School, opened in 1900, is located on Willow Avenue and serves the neighborhood's children from kindergarten to sixth grade.

Ball Square was formerly the site of the storied Willow Jazz Club. In the 1990s, a fire destroyed several commercial businesses on Broadway, and as those businesses were replaced, an economic transformation began that continues today, with long-time businesses such as Lyndell's bakery, which dates to the 19th century, sharing a block with Ball Square Fine Wines and Liquor, a high-end wine shop, the Belgian Truffle House, Twinkle Star, an upscale children's boutique, Eat at Jumbo's, a restaurant that pioneered the hybrid reusable pizza box and features a unique menu with something for everyone and Blue Cloud Gallery, a gift shop specializing in the wares of local artists.

Ball Square is a planned stop on the Green Line as part of the MBTA's anticipated extension of the surface rail line.

External links

• Ball Square Guide A guide to bars, restaurants, and shops in Ball Square