Behind the Buildout: Workbar Union Square, Vol. 2

When we last peeked Behind the Buildout at the work-in-progress that is Workbar Union Square, we were blown away by the support and excitement we received from Workbar members, both former and current, who remembered our original location fondly. Well, the hype hasn’t died down since then. Let’s walk through some of the sweetest developments happening around our new digs lately.

What the Fluff?!

This past weekend at Union Square's annual Fluff Festival, the warm welcome back to our old neighborhood continued as everyone with a sweet tooth in the Somerville area came by our booth to grab some Workbar swag. Next time we'll bring more totes — they were a hit! Swag aside, plenty of people came to us with coworking questions in between creative, locally made treats, grabbing a free day pass to try out one of our Workbar locations or our Union Square location once we officially open our doors in January.

Union Square Main Streets has been instrumental in creating buzz around Workbar's return to Union Square. Their mission to strengthen Union Square's growing neighborhood of businesses and community is what Workbar is all about, and we look forward to becoming even more involved as we move in.

Donut Call It A Comeback

You could literally see our new Prospect Street location from Fluff Festival, as well as our former location across the street. Call it a homecoming, call it a full circle moment, but don’t call it a comeback. It’s clear from the buzz we received throughout the afternoon that the Union Square community never lost the love for Workbar in the decade since we’ve been gone. While support from the community hasn’t changed, the neighborhood has.

When we first opened in Union Square in 2015, the neighborhood was gritty, affordable, and full of builders: small manufacturers, artists, immigrants, and entrepreneurs. Union Square Donuts had just opened its first shop two years earlier. Fast-forward to 2026, and we’re proud to partner with the Somerville staple as we enter this new era. Keep an eye out for another day of free cold brew or drip coffee October 10th, courtesy of Workbar!

Going Green

Speaking of longtime neighbors, Greentown Labs got priced out of Kendall Square in 2013, landed in Somerville, and quickly became a hub for climatetech. For more on that — and the intersection of public transportation, housing options, and workspaces — add this episode of Setting the Bar with Julia Travaglini to your podcast queue! She’s the head of the climatetech incubator. 

Today, the neighborhood's gone green in more ways than one… and by that we mean that the Green Line finally made it to Union Square, attracting new apartments, labs, restaurants, and a much bigger innovation economy along with it. Lechmere and North Station are now just minutes away. So next time you hop off the train, don't forget to look up. Our window signage is gorgeous, if we do say so ourselves.

Become a Founding Member

Want to help shape the energy, culture, and community of Workbar Union Square from day one? Secure your spot early and snag amazing deals on coworking memberships and private offices. We saved you a seat.