Ray-Ban Provides Shade in Harvard Square

Ray-Ban, a luxury sunglasses retailer, opened a Harvard Square branch in September, the first standalone Ray-Ban store to open in Massachusetts.

Julian K. Hammer, a Cambridge Ray-Ban employee, said the store is the seventeenth to open in the nation. Hammer said he was excited by the decision to open up a store in Harvard Square and that he has enjoyed working there.

“They could have easily gone to Seaport or Newbury Street, but I think they really thought carefully about picking Harvard Square because we want to be here,” Hammer said. “It's been a real pleasure to meet and work with all these different people.”

Ray-Ban was founded as a brand for pilots in 1936, but it quickly garnered international recognition, expanding into countries like China and Japan.

The arrival of a new store comes at a time of rapid commercial turnover in the Square, following the closure of stores like Papyrus and Black Ink. And in October, Out of Town News, the former tenant of the Harvard Square Subway Kiosk and 60 year-old cultural landmark, closed its doors.

Hammer, who grew up in Cambridge and around Harvard Square, said he is familiar with the string of closures the Square has faced.

“Bartley’s is the last remaining burger place. Dickson Brothers is the last remaining hardware store,” he said. “So the Square is at a pivotal point of change.”

“As a larger business, we want to play a part in that change but for the good,” Hammer added.

Harvard Square Business Association executive director Denise A. Jillson wrote in an emailed statement that the association was pleased with Ray-Ban’s presence in the heart of Harvard Square and its willingness to engage with its neighbors.

“We were delighted to welcome Ray-Ban to Harvard Square,” Jillson wrote. “Upon their arrival, they immediately and enthusiastically joined the HSBA. We look forward to partnering with them as they settle in and become active and engaged community partners.”

Hammer said his work at the store has allowed him to meet a diverse set of shoppers.

“We get to meet different people from different walks of life every single day,” he said. “We just want to be a part of the fabric of this community.”

Ray-Ban is located on Brattle Street between Felipe’s Taqueria and Rebekah Brooks Jewelry.

—Staff writer Simon J. Levien can be reached at simon.levien@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @simonjlevien.

—Staff writer Austin W. Li can be reached at austin.li@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @austinwli.