The Guild is Opening a Bookstore Beer Garden in Plainville
The popular beer hall, which already has three locations in Rhode Island, is expanding to Massachusetts in partnership with a local favorite bookstore.
The Guild Garden at Plainville Square is expected to open in fall 2025. (Photograph Courtesy of The Guild Brewing Company)
You’ve heard of coffee and a book, but how about beer and a book?
The Guild, the Pawtucket-based brewery founded in 2017, has announced plans to open a new beer garden in Plainville, Mass. The space will be located outside An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Cafe and will be known as The Guild Garden at Plainville Square.
The new location will feature a full kitchen and a rotating selection of beers brewed at The Guild in Pawtucket, along with wine and nonalcoholic offerings. In addition to outdoor seating, the space will include covered seating in repurposed shipping containers. Visitors can expect live music and author events hosted in conjunction with An Unlikely Story.
“Since opening our first set of doors in Pawtucket in 2017, The Guild has taken a great deal of pride and even more joy in welcoming friends and families (often along with their pets) to our Rhode Island locations, and we can’t wait to bring that same welcoming, community-centric model to Plainville Square,” say Jeremy Duffy and Devin Kelly, co-founders of The Guild Brewing Company, in a press release. “Jeff and Julie Kinney are building something special in their hometown, and we are honored and ready to play our part in bringing their vision to life.”
An Unlikely Story opened in 2015 on the site of a former general store in downtown Plainville. The popular bookstore, which has become a community hub, is owned by New York Times bestselling children’s book author Jeff Kinney — author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series — and his wife Julie. The bookstore frequently hosts author events and includes a coffee shop and gift items. (Read more about An Unlikely Story in our local bookstore guide.)
The beer garden is part of a larger plan to convert the intersection of Bacon Street and South Street into a vibrant square featuring a restaurant, event space, retail space and village green. The Guild Garden is currently under construction and expected to open in fall 2025.
“Our goal in redeveloping the center of Plainville is to create a buzzing town square that acts as a ‘third place’ — a spot where community can grow and new friendships can take root. The planned food and beverage garden is a key to a thriving center, and we’ve found the perfect partner to help us execute our vision in The Guild,” says Kinney.
It’s a natural expansion for The Guild, which has opened several new locations since its founding. In addition to the Pawtucket brewery and beer hall, the company operates a waterfront beer hall in Warren and a beer garden in the 195 District Park in Providence. The Guild also serves as a sponsor of the new Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket and brews several beers in partnership with the stadium’s home team, Rhode Island FC.
While bookstore beverages are not a new concept (see: Riffraff Bookstore + Bar, Arc{hive} Book + Snackery and Glou) this is the first time a Rhode Island brewery has partnered with a local bookstore to create a permanent space. The partnership is expected to continue the Kinneys’ vision of revitalizing the area as a community gathering place.
“The Guild impressed us with their passion for creating spaces where families can gather and meaningful connections can be formed,” Kinney says. “On top of that, The Guild has a top-tier line of food and beer offerings, which we are excited for Plainville residents and neighbors across the wider region to enjoy.”
More details are expected to be announced in the coming months.
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