Coolidge Corner

Coordinates: 42°20′31″N 71°07′17″W / 42.342075°N 71.121261°W / 42.342075; -71.121261

Coolidge Corner is a neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts, centered on the intersection of Beacon Street and Harvard Street. The neighborhood takes its name from the Coolidge brothers' general store that opened in 1857 at that intersection at the site of today's S.S. Pierce building, which was for many years the only commercial business in north Brookline.

Culture

Coolidge Corner developed as a transit-oriented streetcar suburb, and retains a pedestrian-friendly, walking around feel. Many popular coffee shops, pharmacies, small independent boutiques, an independent bookstore, and ethnic restaurants are located there, as well as a few retail chain stores. In recent years, an influx of national bank chains has taken over several prime storefronts, detracting from the traditional neighborhood retail mix. There is a growing community backlash against this trend.

The neighborhood has a significant Jewish population, and there are large synagogues located on both Beacon and Harvard streets. The northern portion of Harvard Street, near the border with the Boston neighborhood of Allston, is characterized by a cluster of Jewish-oriented shops, including a bookstore, giftshop, kosher butcher, and various other stores and eateries.

Coolidge Corner (MBTA station)

Coolidge Corner station is a stop on the "C" branch of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Green Line, located in the Coolidge Corner neighborhood of Brookline at the intersection of Beacon Street and Harvard Street.

This station is convenient to the many stores and restaurants in Coolidge Corner, as well as the Coolidge Corner Theatre, a nationally recognized non-profit arthouse movie theater. It is also close to a heavily Jewish neighborhood that contains a number of synagogues, Jewish book stores, and kosher restaurants. During the Summer season and early Fall, a farmers' market operates at the nearby Centre Street Parking Lot every Thursday from 1:30pm until dusk.

Station layout

Connections

Coolidge Corner is a major stop on the MBTA Route 66 crosstown line, one of the busiest and most-delayed bus lines in the system. Route 66 runs to Harvard Square station in one direction, and to Dudley station in the other.

Accessibility

This station is wheelchair accessible. Accessibility upgrades were completed in 2001.