Write Stuff Cafe

It’s an unlikely spot for such a magical place. I suppose it makes sense that Jeff Kinney decided to call the bookstore he built, An Unlikely Story. For starters, it’s in a town called Plainville in Massachusetts. Sadly, Plainville tends to live up to its name. But once I visited this bookstore in the center of Plainville, I couldn’t resist returning again and again to Plainville. It’s not so plain anymore in my eyes.

When you drive to it off 495, passing the Wrentham Outlets, you eventually pass Plainville’s tiny fire station and then their even tinier library. And then on the left, like a beacon, calling me home, stands An Unlikely Story Bookstore. The Wimpy Kid author, Jeff Kinney, built the bookstore on a plot of land that was historic Falk’s Market, a general store at the center of the community. The bookstore’s website likes to say “Part of our unlikely story is our evolution from general store to pharmacy to tearoom to restaurant…back to general store and now into bookstore and café.”

All the delicious books are on the first floor, along with a cafe and some small tables. Sitting at those tables, reading and writing and sipping my hot tea, just might be one of my all time favorite spots. I have taken personal days where I don’t even tell my husband that I am not going into work. I get up, get ready, and pull out of my driveway, but instead of driving to school, I drive straight to An Unlikely Story and spend the day writing and reading. My routine is usually to browse the shelves first, stopping to read all the hand-written staff recommendation cards. I like to look through the new release table that is right in the front when I walk in. I also visit the memoir section, and then I usually finish in the children’s section. Unlikely Story also helps me feed my journal addiction. And they have so many unique gifts, like socks, puzzles, pens, bookmarks, and more. After browsing and oftentimes buying, then I get my big mug of tea and sit and read and write or write and read.

I also love that the second floor of Unlikely Story is called Second Story. They host all sorts of author events there. My friend, Cynthia Lord, a children’s book author from Maine, once did a reading there and I took my daughter who was only about four at the time. We got to listen to Cynthia read on the second floor, have her sign our books, and then she came down and shopped with us on the first floor. It was magical. During the holidays, they turn the Second Story into another level of shopping where you can shop for holiday related books, gifts, and more. They also host shop and sip nights, as well as storytimes, like readings of The Polar Express.

The third floor is Jeff Kinney’s office space. I have heard stories of people shopping at Unlikely Story and he stops in and gives people tours of the third floor. Waiting for that experience to happen for me!

For the past several years, I have served on the board of the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA) and even spent a year as the President. Conveniently, our board meetings were located in Franklin, a town close to Plainville. I loved board meeting days because that meant after the meetings, I could spend an afternoon at my happy place, An Unlikely Story. 

If you are ever in Plainville, make sure and stop by the beautiful three story building with the inviting front porch, a throwback to its previous general store version. I hope you too will fall in love with my favorite bookstore!