Published: 12/30/2021 6:05:50 PM
Modified: 12/30/2021 6:05:22 PM
GREENFIELD — Alden Booth knew his restaurant had been around awhile when he started hiring employees who hadn’t yet been born when it opened.
The People’s Pint is getting ready to celebrate its 25th anniversary, having launched at 24 Federal St. on Jan. 1, 1997. The gastropub plans to raffle off merchandise and hold food giveaways to show its appreciation for its customers.
“It’s nice to be able to say ‘thank you’ to people and give away some stuff,” said Booth, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Lissa Greenough.
Booth opened the restaurant with friend and business partner Dan Young, who has since moved to Michigan. The business is known for making virtually everything on site and for its emphasis on organic food supplied by local growers and producers. According to the restaurant’s website, no disposable plastic is used and there are minimum paper items. All kitchen and dining room food scraps are composted and all plastic, cardboard, paper, glass and metal is recycled. The gastropub used to brew its own beer in the basement, but that operation has since moved to Hope Street — and the brewery grain is fed to pigs and goats in Gill.
Booth said he has an extremely loyal customer base, with folks who have been coming since the day the establishment opened.
“We didn’t plan to open on Jan. 1. It just happened to work out that way. That was just kind of fortuitous, it was fun,” Booth recalled. “I remember, the morning we opened ... it was super cold and all our pipes froze in the kitchen. So at 4 o’clock, when we were trying to get open, we were trying to thaw out our pipes. We thawed them out just in time. So, it was a drama. I think we were four deep at the bar that first day. It was pretty crazy.
“It’s been fantastic. That’s what has really kept us going,” he continued, “all the people that have kept coming back.”
Chris Carpenter has a unique relationship with The People’s Pint, having worked there in two stints — for eight years starting in 2007 and again when the restaurant reopened in June after closing due to the pandemic.
“The Pint’s a pretty special place,” he said. “It’s the only restaurant I’ll work at and the fact that’s it’s been here 25 years ... it’s a testament to our regulars, and that’s really what sets this place apart.
“The reasons that I work here — the quality of the food, quality of the ingredients, the fact that we make everything in-house,” Carpenter continued, adding that the restaurant does not accept any deliveries in Styrofoam.
You can find Carpenter in the kitchen, but don’t call him the chef.
“We don’t go by titles much here,” he clarified. “I’m in charge of the food.”
The People’s Pint will be open from noon to 9 p.m. on New Year’s Day. It will be closed on New Year’s Eve.
More information is available at thepeoplespint.com or on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or
413-772-0261, ext. 262.