When it comes to providing an atmosphere where people want to come and gather to eat, drink, be merry, or a combination of all those things, Warren restauranteur Amy Cary has clearly honed in on the recipe.

Cary, along with her husband, Joel, have long served up highly-rated eats out of their first two businesses; The Square Peg, located at the corner of Miller and Water Streets in Warren, and Amy’s Place, found hopping busy any given breakfast or brunch time during open hours on artsy Wickenden Street in Providence for the last 24 years.

Last Wednesday, they opened doors to their third venture; a bar smack dab in the middle of Warren’s well-trafficked Main Street, named Stingy Alley, formerly occupied by Sprout CoWorking. The plans for the bar go all the way back to 2022, and they earned the requisite licenses from the Town Council over that summer. But according to Cary, there was quite a bit of work that needed to be done inside.

Stepping into the finished space, the fruit of their labor is evident.

East-facing windows give passage to lots of light, illuminating renewed and exposed brick and granite throughout. Dark green is the color of choice for seating, walls, and support beams, contrasted satisfyingly by lots of lighter, walnut wood; much of which was acquired through Warren’s own Water Rower (the same wood used for its famed rowing machines). A collage of photographs, some of worldwide acclaim, some known only to locals, provides a sense of history despite the bar’s newness.

The star of the show is the large bar to the south end, providing seating for over a dozen patrons with eight taps and many shelves’ worth of bottles to choose from.

“We had envisioned an American, old-school pub,” Cary said. “That was especially my husband’s vision. A bunch of us went to New York City last year and we had ten places to look at and get inspiration from.”

The interior wasn’t the only part of the property to get a proper sprucing up. The property owner, listed as Pirri-DaSilveira and Sons Properties LLC, earned a $25,000 grant as part of the town’s ARPA-funded storefront rejuvenation program, which went to good use refreshing the exterior of the circa 1865 building.

The vibe is cozy and warm; with plenty of seating that encourages larger parties to gather together, or to go meet some new friends, which Cary said was purposeful.

“We love the feeling of The Square Peg,” she said. “A lot of people know each other, but in the dining room you can’t get up and go talk to people at another table. In here, everyone can walk around, carry a drink, go up to the bar.”

Seeking to strike a balance between a no-frills corner pub that welcomes everyone, while still offering the opportunity for a higher-brow cocktail experience and environment, Cary and her staff — many of which followed her from The Square Peg and are on track to become part-owners of the establishment — put a lot of thought into making sure they offer a little bit of something for every different palate, and any desired experience.

“It’s not a place where people are going to be scared to try new things. I think it’s a good bridge menu for people to feel comfortable opening up and trying something a little different,” said manager Laura Craveiro. “I think that’s what’s special about this place. You can think of it as the place you go on Saturday afternoon for a Guinness, or on a Saturday night for a nice, proper cocktail on a first date, or somewhere to come with your parents for a Miller Lite.”

Cocktail offerings are broad, from a spicy chocolate dessert martini to a fruity, rum-based concoction. The staff also isn’t afraid to dabble in some drink science either; make sure to try the “Liquid Gold”, a Scotch-based drink that utilizes a process called milk clarification, which removes the harsher elements of whiskey and enhances the flavors of the lemon, ginger and honey added.

A variety of light snacks (including grilled cheese) is also on the menu for munching. Stingy Alley is open Wednesday through Thursday from 4-11 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 2-8 p.m. Visit them on Instagram @StingyAlley.

And in case you were wondering about the inspiration for the name, simply pick up one of their menus or coasters for the story:

“There’s a path that runs alongside Warren’s Methodist Church between Church and Baker Streets. Legend has it that in the early days townspeople who couldn’t afford the cost of a pew seat would congregate on the path to hear the Sunday sermons coming from inside the church. The path is known as Stingy Alley.”