Stamford Brewery Opening New 'Third Place' Space This Week

STAMFORD, CT — Half Full Brewery's new "Third Place" concept will open early to the public this week. The brewery, located on Homestead Avenue, announced it will open the first phase of the new space Thursday in the city's South End.

According to the Half Full team, Third Place is intended to enliven Stamford's socially isolated residents and act as a space where they can enjoy "to-go" retail and safe onsite entertainment provided by local artists, musicians, comedians and others. (To sign up for Stamford breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Third Place is located at 575 Pacific Street in Stamford and will feature a tasting and barrel-aging room by Half Full, a rotating food menu by Hapa Food Truck and a "to-go" nitro coffee, tea, juice and beignet concept by Source Coffee.

"Since opening our brewery in 2012, Half Full has been a place that champions positivity, enhances Stamford's vibrance, and introduces new brews at both indoor and outdoor events for our growing community," Half Full Founder Conor Horrigan said in a statement. "With 2020's unpredictability, our team felt that we could best help our community by creating exciting and safe ways to come together and activate the local scene. So, we are opening our Third Place concept early by introducing an initial phase that highlights local brands and artists and will bring the community together in a safe manner."

According to Horrigan, the Half Full team has "creatively adapted" Center for Disease Control and local government gathering requirements to make them fun...and Instagramable.

"We're harnessing local artists to transform the bland and rugged area around our new location to provide quarantine relief for customers while bringing people together safely and responsibly," Horrigan said. "Masks will be required, 6 feet of distance will be maintained and our cool, on-the-go and onsite goodies make it easy to escape your quarantine caves and socialize the best way we can right now."

See also: Stamford Brewery Offering Contactless Curbside Beer Pickup

For its first phase, Third Place will open as a "to-go coffee concept" during the day and as both a tasting room and performance space in the evening four days a week to start. The Half Full team has also turned the space's back parking lot into a green beer garden.

Third Place's first phase will offer guests several local favorites, including Hapa Food Truck, which is launching a new menu with this concept, and Source Coffee, which will be launching a rotating nitro menu paired with beignets. All of this can be accessed through an alley featuring wall and street art from local artists.

See also: Glass Half Full: CT Brewery Serving Positivity In A Can As It Strives To Innovate

"We have enjoyed tremendous success previously with our Winter Beer Garden and Pizza in the Park events," Joe Limardi, the brewery's general manager of events, said in a statement, "but since these are not feasible in the current environment, we're doing what we do best by being creatively and partnering with others to create new experiences. Our current customers are aching for outside time, and this first phase provides an opportunity for us and our local partners to bring in revenue. We look forward to not only providing the amazing experiences we curate, but also doing so in a way that aligns with the CDC recommendations and keeps our customers confident and safe."

Summer activities during Third Place's first phase will include:

• An outdoor beer garden
• A walkable street art exhibition featuring local talent outdoors
• Hapa Food Truck with an updated menu and easy ordering service
• Locally made brews and draft cocktails made with local spirits
• Nitro coffee, teas, juices and beignets provided by Source
• Local music and comedic acts once phase III of CT's reopening plan is in effect

"We are excited to open this first phase as a relief from the turn of national and world events that have left many feeling socially stifled," Horrigan said in a statement. "Half Full believes that together we can and we will get through these times together with creativity and smarts."

Half Full will continue to offer curbside pickup and delivery from its Homestead Avenue brewery while Third Place operates. Further information can be found at halffullbrewery.com.