Niche Hospitality to reopen Still & Stir at Railers Tavern site

Photo | Grant Welker The Railers Sports Tavern

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By Zachary Comeau

Fresh off closing two concepts in November, Niche Hospitality Group is remaking its Railers Tavern in downtown Worcester into a new cocktail bar and restaurant, reviving the Still & Stir brand at the location.

Niche, which is based in Worcester, will remove the hockey-and-sports theme from the Railers Tavern. All sports memorabilia will be transported to the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center to support the incoming Bay State Brewing Co., which is taking the place of Niche concept Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta.

Still & Stir, The Citizen and the People's Kitchen all closed at One Exchange Place Worcester in November, but Niche Hospitality Group President Michael Covino was vocal about looking for a new home for those concepts.

The Railers Tavern enjoyed success during hockey season and for home hockey games, but the hockey theme didn’t support the restaurant during the offseason, Covino told WBJ on Tuesday.

“We found it to be a little more difficult to be both a hockey destination and sports bar at the same time as being able to be a concept that works for the other 325 days of the year,” he said.

The new concept will be built around the Still & Stir brand, which Covino called a destination in its former location just a few doors down from the Railers Tavern.

For those that enjoyed The Citizen, some menu items will reappear at the new concept, Covino said.

The changeover is expected to take place throughout next month with themed events leading up to the reopening.