Book Review: Love at The Pub by Mary Jane Mahan

By Yankee Rose

Fresh out of University of Georgia and in search of something new Mary Jane Mahan moved to Decatur, GA.  The year was 1997, and Mary Jane’s first job in her new hometown was as a server at the Brick Store Pub.  Less than ten years later, she began writing about the Brick Store and its impact on Decatur.  On November 11th, 2009, we will all be celebrating the release of her first book:  Love at the Pub: An Insider’s Guide to Craftsmanship, Conversation, and Community at the Brick Store Pub (iUniverse 2009).

We here at the A-List were fortunate to get our hands on an advance copy.  (See, you send us stuff, we’ll review it. We Promise. Capice?)  Love at The Pub sets out to tell the history of a bar.  A bar that was founded by 3 friends on the Decatur square and has grown to be the number 2 beer bar in the country.  The Brick Store’s owners built their business on connecting with the community, from buying local foods to founding charity events such as SkaterAid and the Decatur Beer Festival.  (Not to mention the fact that you can often find them behind the bar or working the floor.)

Maybe this is why when I think back on Love at The Pub I don’t think of it as a book on the history of a bar.  This book is so much more than that – a true chronicle of Decatur’s recent history and revitalization.  Ms. Mahan interviews many of the key players who set the stage for the community Decatur is today, and records the thoughts of those who have witnessed the transformation.  The planning that went into restoring Decatur is impressive for a city of this size, particularly when community planning was not in vogue.  Through concerned citizens who formed the planning committee, Decatur was able to start on a 20 year path to becoming a pedestrian friendly, community minded, small town kind of city.

That said, Ms. Mahan leaves no detail of the Brick Store unexamined.  Any question I have ever had about the Pub was answered, from wondering where that door came from to why don’t they have “my beer” anymore.  The interviews of the Brick Store’s regulars are heartwarming tributes to the founders and staff.  These stories are supplemented with Ms. Mahan’s rich presentation of beer knowledge showcased in text boxes throughout the book.  Readers who take the time to read the inlays receive an education in the arts of brewing and tasting along with the great community history.

Love at the Pub is a great read for those who love stories of the “third place” – the place that allows a community to grow and rest, and anyone who ever wanted to know anything about starting a pub.  To celebrate the release of Love at the Pub there will be a Telesudsinar from 9-11pm on November 11.  Telesudsinar you say?  We did too.  The Telesidsinar will be a conversation on craft beer bar philosophy with Ms. Mahan and special guests accessible from any computer or phone.  Register here and participate anywhere.