Somerville Venue To Reopen After Changes

SOMERVILLE, MA – A Somerville event space and lounge will reopen this weekend after temporarily closing amid recent troubles. ONCE on Highland Avenue suffered a break-in in May and struggled with high operating costs, leading it to shut down July 31.

"Over the next few months you will see changes at ONCE," a statement on the venue's Facebook page said at the time. "Our mission will remain the same as will our focus to foster and support local artists and their art, to bring cool events to the neighborhood, and maintain our deep ties to the community by being a gathering space. But we must transition and hone to keep the business viable."

When ONCE reopens Sunday, Sept. 16, it will include a lineup of live music booked in-house and through partnerships with promoters like Crossroads Presents, which also books Brighton Music Hall and The Paradise Rock Club, according to Vanyaland. The venue will celebrate its reopening with a party called "All At ONCE," featuring live music, food and a beer garden.

The 9,000-square-foot space on Highland Avenue is owned and operated by catering company Cuisine en Locale. It has an upstairs lounge that is used for small shows and parties and a 300-person ballroom downstairs that is available for larger events and performances.

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