Where to shop when visiting Ascent Technology

Shopping within walking distance

Ascent Technology is located in Kendall Square, Cambridge, at the eastern edge of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus.

There are plenty of places to shop in and near Kendall Square.


The MIT Coop has a large selection of MIT souvenirs, as well as books, clothing, and toiletries. The MIT Coop stocks textbooks for MIT courses, as well as MIT sweatshirts, T shirts, hats, and just about anything else you can think of that has room for the MIT name or seal. (There is another MIT Coop in the MIT Stratton Student Center on the other side of campus.)


The MIT Press Bookstore, across the street from the MIT Coop, stocks books published by The MIT Press. The selection of books, written by MIT professors and researchers, is outstanding.


In addition, Kendall Square has a combination deli/convenience store, a florist, a post office, a dry cleaner, a copy shop, two barber shops, and several banks, restaurants, and cafes.


The MIT Stratton Student Center, just a short (but not particularly direct) walk from Ascent Technology, has another MIT Coop, as well as a barber shop, hairdresser, dry cleaner, optical shop, and copy center.


The Garment District, just outside Kendall Square, sells funky vintage and contemporary clothes at reasonable prices.


The Cambridgeside Galleria, also a short walk from Ascent Technology, has more than 120 stores, specialty shops, and restaurants. If you don't feel like walking, a free CambridgeSide Galleria shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes. It stops outside the Kendall/MIT T stop next to the Marriott Hotel.

Shopping a T hop away

Take the MBTA (also known as the “T”) Red Line from the Kendall/MIT station to the Central Square station, one subway stop outbound (in the direction of the Alewife T station), and you will find shops ranging from a huge art-supply store, to music stores, to inexpensive clothing stores and pawn shops. Shaws supermarket, which is located in the same building as the Le Meridien Hotel , formerly the Hotel@MIT, just outside of Central Square, has just about every type of food imaginable, as well as a well-stocked pharmacy.


To reach the wide variety of shops in Harvard Square, take the Red Line from the MIT/Kendall MBTA station to the Harvard Square station, two subway stops outbound from Ascent Technology.


Other places to shop include Newbury Street, The Prudential Center, Copley Place, Quincy Market, and Downtown Crossing. All of these areas are a subway ride away, travelling inbound to Boston from Ascent Technology.

Special shopping trips

You will need a car to reach the following outlet malls:
Kittery Outlets, Rt. 1, Kittery, Maine


Wrentham Village Premium Outlets, Rt.1A and I495, Wrentham, MA