“The first venue of its kind where guests can experience multiple, branded beverage concepts collaborating under one roof”
Back in 2018, the head of Simon Property Group told municipal planners in regard to the Burlington Mall north of Boston and what they could possibly do with the space: “We’re a company of experiences and therefore perfectly positioned to capture the hearts, minds and imaginations of our shoppers with new, exciting and dynamic ways to live, work, play, stay and shop at Simon.”
Fast-forward to 2022, and a big part of that vision has come into existence as it applies to Burlington. As the team behind Common Craft, a standalone self-contained space adjacent to that mall with four uniquely-branded rooms (2 beer, 1 wine, 1 full liquor) with a separate entrance, explained in a media release:
In a world of Pandemic Pivots, repurposing mall spaces has hastened considerably. Simon Property Group (owner of Burlington Mall) has been proactive, creative, and aggressive with their strategic planning. They are known for creating “experiential-centric” destinations, including ‘Lifestyle Centers’ across America. Including Common Craft is consistent with Simon’s stated intention of “aggressively pursuing high-quality tenants to populate the new facilities which are intended to appeal to the retail market.”
The Common Craft crew added that it is “the first venue of its kind where guests can experience multiple, branded beverage concepts collaborating under one roof.” “When you visit Common Craft, you step into a carefully curated and rotating selection of hospitality experiences without ever leaving the building.”
More info below:
The industrial warehouse design features approximately 9,000 sq. ft. of beverage and dining choices in four uniquely designed and branded rooms. Common Craft will be the first to feature special brews, spirits, wines, limited time offers, and seasonal exclusives from select, independent producers.
Upon arrival, guests will notice the cavernous ceilings, exposed brick walls, and iron beam trusses. They are encouraged to meander through the great hall filled with seating, live greenery, additional choices of craft beverages, and food.
Outside patio space will double as a lounge and game area and will be the home of seasonal events like Oktoberfest, Rosé all Day, Tiki Summer Nights, and live music. A large projector screen will also treat guests to important sporting events, classic movies, and retro cartoons.
Common Craft guests are encouraged to share and pair items from the food menu with beverages from the four craft beverage partners. The approachable menu, offered throughout the entire space, will feature creative, upscale twists on gastropub classics-heavy on appetizers, starters, and snacks, in addition to salads, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. Ingredient sourcing will weigh heavily on local and small producers, as well as products from the producers at Common Craft that will double as ingredients within many menu items.
Upon leaving Common Craft, guests can visit a separate retail bottle shop where they can purchase packaged beer, wine, and souvenirs from the featured producers, with items exclusive to the Burlington location.
Adjacent to Common Craft’s patio, guests will enjoy the Burlington Mall’s new ‘Open-Air Lifestyle Center’ outdoor space full of greenery, Adirondack chairs, bocce court, fire pits, and nest swings.
“We are very excited to partner with Common Craft to open a location in the Burlington Mall,” Idle Hands Founder and President Christopher Tkach said. “The Common Craft team is doing an awesome job envisioning what an Idle Hands satellite taproom would look like, taking cues from our home in Malden. It truly will be a home away from home for us. We are just thrilled to have another location that we can do fun things with, including another Oktoberfest, unique releases, and food/beer focused events.”
Deacon Giles Distillery Co-founders Ian Hunter and Jesse Brenneman said their brand “adds the energy, feel, and enthusiasm of their winning speakeasy concept, complete with dim lighting, plush seating, and award-winning craft cocktail menu.”
“All of us at Deacon Giles are excited to be partnering with Common Craft in opening such a great community space that brings together an impressive lineup of quality, local craft-beverage producers, and a kitchen, to elevate the guest experience under one roof.”
commoncrafthospitality.com
Citizen Strain/Grain is an amalgamation of a bunch of us who, in addition to the hard and oftentimes depressing journalism we report for the Dig, also enjoy sampling and writing about the various beers, spirits, and cannabis products that vendors from near and far send our way. If you want us to check out your product, please contact us at info@digboston.com.
