C’est Bon Unveils New Late-Night Store

C’est Bon, the popular café with five locations in the Harvard Square area, has outfitted its Mass. Ave establishment with a convenience store.

The newly expanded store, which more than triples the size of the old cafe, recently opened after six months of renovations.

The three aisles of soft-drinks, chips, canned goods, and prepared sandwiches are now spread over the space at 1436 Mass. Ave., which last housed a temporary CVS store while the neighboring CVS underwent its own renovations. The convenience store is attached to the previously existing pastry and coffee counter by means of an archway.

C’est Bon’s owner, George Sarkis, said that while the store’s current license only permits it to stay open until 12:30 a.m. weeknights and 2:30 a.m. on weekends, the store was exploring the possibility of extending its hours.

“It appears to be doable,” he said.

Sarkis said that consideration of expanding the café with a convenience store predated the closing of nearby Store 24, the all-night market, this spring. However, the void of all-night Square stores left by Store 24’s closing played a part in Sarkis’ final decision, he said.

Renovations started six months ago, when CVS moved back into its permanent location. At the time, Sarkis was still debating whether to use the space he acquired last year to build a larger cafe or to focus on the convenience aspect of the store.

“In the end I decided that there was a need for a convenience store in that location,” Sarkis said.

Sarkis has owned C’est Bon since he opened its first outlet at the Mass. Ave location 12 years ago. Since then, the chain has grown to include restaurants in Boylston Hall, the Barker Center, William James Hall, and the Harvard Square Hotel.

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.