The Best New Old Place In Town

After living in Framingham for four and a half years now, I have officially begun to call it home. My friends, my job, my life is here in Framingham. Now that I am twenty-two, and I have been frequenting the bar scene for close to two years now, it’s become a bit monotonous. A hidden gem in the heart of Ashland center has caught my attention, and I am happy to have discovered it recently.

Stones Public House in Ashland is a very small, old, but quaint little bar with live music every night. I made the venture to the bar after reading in the Metrowest Daily News about the Blues Jam that happens every Sunday night. Knowing nothing about this Blues Jam, besides that it was a weekly occurrence and hosted by the same guy every week, my boyfriend and I were not sure what to expect walking in to the pub. We were greeted by intense, dramatic lighting, looking almost as if the pub was candle lit. Immediately to our right when we walked in the front door was quite an assortment of musicians playing some catchy blues songs that had the bar on their feet. Before we had made it to the bartender, I could already tell this place was exactly what I’ve been trying to find in a new bar in the past few months.

We made our way to find a seat at the bar, but the large, blazing fireplace located in the back of the pub stopped me before I made it to a seat. I thought this was a very nice addition to the homey, comfortable ambiance I already felt from being at the bar. The building was clearly old, and has been around for quite some time, but its age gave it even more of an appeal. Everything from the bar to the floors to the walls were composed of dark, aged wood that seemed to have decades of memories locked inside. The bartender was friendly and promptly served us as soon as we sat. I assessed the crowd that evening and got the feeling that this may be a pretty townie bar, judging by the fact that pretty much everyone seemed to know each other. The Blues Jam attracted an older crowd that night, and a lot of the performers were mingling with their wives at the bar when they weren’t on stage.

After doing some Google research about the bar since then, I have discovered that Stones Public House happens to be one of the most haunted places in the state. Whether people travel to the bar for a drink, the music, or the haunted spirits, the experience is worth the venture. As winter approaches, I look forward to more visits to Stones Public House. It is the perfect getaway from a loud, flashy scene that most bars in the area have created. With the fireplace blazing every night until 1 AM, this place will be calling my name when I am looking for the perfect place to grab a drink with a friend on a winter evening.