Call it the downtown that Wimpy Kid built.
If all goes to Jeff Kinney’s plan, in five years people will be playing cornhole, noshing on snacks in a food and beverage garden, and sunbathing on a common green while live music plays. They’ll shop, grab a brew, pick up locally grown fare at a farmers’ market, take in a reading at his bookstore, then dine out at a bistro — all in downtown Plainville.
Slowly, over the years, the best-selling author of the juggernaut “Wimpy Kid” empire has been buying up derelict properties, about four blocks at the intersection of South Street and East and West Bacon streets in downtown Plainville, his adopted hometown.
With his wife, Julie Kinney, the couple’s vision — including a restaurant, retail shops, town green, bar and food and beverage garden — is called Plainville Square. According to its website, its mission is to build “a sense of community by creating vibrant spaces that encourage people to come together.”
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Kinney is also planning a proposed Airbnb for authors visiting his bookstore, to help draw major names. He said he’s “in talks with a major fantasy author to help create a landscaped area with a story behind it. I’m hoping that’s a draw on its own.”
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He estimates the entire square will be finished in five or six years at a total cost of some $20 million.
In 2025, Kinney’s “Wimpy Kid” series is on track to crack 300 million copies sold, his bookstore and cafe, An Unlikely Story, will turn 10, and he’s geared up for his ambitious plan to leave a bigger mark on the town.
The Maryland native, 53, moved to Plainville in 2002, with his wife, a Worcester native. “We drew a Venn diagram between places we needed to live near, and came up with Plainville.”
The couple fell in love with the town. When “Wimpy Kid” hit it big, they stayed — they simply moved to a bigger house in Plainville, raised two kids, and opened a bookstore, which has gone on to host big name visiting authors. He hopes to see Plainville Square become a book lovers’ destination, a place “every author needs to visit,” he told me in our recent phone interview.
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I had more questions for Kinney about his vision and timeline, upcoming “Wimpy” projects, and more.
Q. What sparked this whole revitalization plan?
A. The plan has evolved over the years. Years ago, my wife and I purchased an abandoned building, called Falk’s Market. It was an institution in Plainville long before we arrived. By the time we got there, it was derelict. Most people in Plainville, including us, imagined what we’d do with it if we ever had the wherewithal. Then “Wimpy Kid” became a success.
We used some of our first royalty paychecks to purchase it. We didn’t have a plan, we just wanted to create a landmark building in town. The fact that it turned into a bookstore [Unlikely Story] really was not related to me being an author. It was us looking for a business that would serve everybody in the community, from the very young to the very old. The plan grew radially. The next property we purchased was diagonally across the street — we put in a clock tower and created nicely landscaped municipal parking. That gave us more capacity for bigger events, and allowed us to host celebrity authors.
I’m going on and on here, but I’m being fairly articulate, so I’m just gonna ride this train. [laughs]
From there, we got more aggressive in our thinking about how the downtown could change. A lot of downtown Plainville is frozen in time. We saw this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the character of downtown.
Concept rendering for Plainville Square market and cafe, part of plans for a revitalized town square. Courtesy of Arrowstreet
Q. Your first purchase in Plainville became An Unlikely Story. Was it successful right away? Or did it lose money?
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A. We haven’t broken even yet. It does lose money.
Q. Is that the state of brick-and-mortar bookstores right now?
A. There’s a number of reasons. The choices we make aren’t always in the best interest of business. For example, next week our employees have paid time off for four days to thank them for working the holidays. Also, independent bookselling is a tough business. But we’re successful on a number of other metrics.
The past few years, virtually and in person, we’ve had Chelsea Clinton, Henry Winkler, Matthew McConaughey, John Grisham, Kristen Bell, Andrew McCarthy, Mo Willems, Rick Riordan, Dav Pilkey, Doris Kearns Goodwin. Hank Phillippi Ryan is a constant presence. And sportswriters: Bob Ryan, Chad Finn, Michael Holley, Jackie MacMullan. It’s really cool. We can always draw a crowd.
My wife and I, our lives have been so edified by these authors. It’s changed the trajectory of our life. That’s the thesis for this downtown development: We have this great bookstore and these great events — but we can amplify that in frequency and scale by changing the face of the downtown permanently.
Q. You told me you hope this is all done by 2030. Do you have a timeline?
A. We’re going to develop piece by piece. The food and beverage garden will probably open this year. It will be interior-facing modified best-of-class shipping containers. We’ll have a spot for an acoustic guitar player, cornhole, things like that. The anchor restaurant might be running in three or four years.
Q. You moved to Plainville in 2002. What kept you there and buying up blocks?
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A. We like the town a lot. The location is great — the intersection of 95 and 495, you can get anywhere. The people are special — honest, down-to-earth, unpretentious. It’s a little bit like “Cheers” — you’re definitely going to run into people you know at Target. In terms of the development, there’s so much opportunity — we can make a really big difference with a reasonable investment. The town’s been great to work with.
Jeff Kinney gives out books to kids to celebrate the launch of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid #19: Hot Mess” on Oct. 20, 2024, in Plainville. Scott Eisen/Getty Images for Abrams Books
Q. Plainville Square aside, you’re also working on book 20 of “Wimpy Kid,” releasing this fall.
A. Yes. And I talked to you about the first Disney+ movie [in 2020] — well, I’m working on another one. We’re deep into that. It will probably come out this year.
Q. Do you have plans after book 20?
A. I do. I’ll keep going with the series, maybe add to the spin-offs, and Disney+ projects. So lots more “Wimpy Kid.”
Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.