A Letter from the Team at The Independent

Published June 2019

Hi Union Square!

It’s hard to believe it’s been 18 years!  The Independent opened its doors in 2001 under the direction of Ken Kelly, a founding member of USMS. In the early days, business was very slow and Union Square was quite different from the neighborhood we know today. Ken was focused, hard-working and persistent. He tried almost everything to get people into the restaurant. He booked live music; the most memorable residencies were Dennis Brennan’s Thursday nights and Frank Morey Band on Sundays in the pub. Eventually, live music gave way to DJs playing vinyl (Stefan Scott, John Funke, and so many other greats). This has evolved into our Wednesday night Sip ‘n’ Spin, where we invite friends & neighbors to come take turns playing their own records (all are welcome!).

One winter, Ken personally hung lights on all the trees on the Plaza, drawing power from The Indo, to add visibility and vibrancy to the neighborhood. That same season, he filled the roof with so many Christmas decorations, you could see it from the Space Station! His commitment extended well beyond the walls of our restaurant. Ken is often recognized as a driving force of Union Square’s development.

Ken’s approach to building business was to nurture and support the surrounding neighborhood. There are countless local business owners and non-profits who share stories about the things Ken did to help them. And there are as many employees, friends, and neighbors whose lives have been touched by The Independent. We are proud to be Union Square’s neighborhood restaurant, and we strive to create a warm and welcoming space for the community– from first dates to family meals, from friends catching a game on TV to staff from neighboring restaurants coming in for last call and late night food. We love our Union Square neighborhood. We’re very fortunate to have been a part of this community for so long, for the love and support that Somerville has shown us over the years. It’s an exciting time in Union Square and we can’t wait to see what the next 18 years will bring!

We hope to see you soon!

Jess, Matt & The Indo Staff

The Independent is open Mon-Fri 5pm-midnight and Sat & Sun 11am-midnight. Check out their Instagram to see what they’re up to nowadays.