Tucked into a three-story historic building at 111 South Street in Plainville, Massachusetts, An Unlikely Story is the kind of bookstore that makes you forget what time it is. Owned by Jeff Kinney, the creator of the beloved Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this shop blends local history, great books, a cozy café, and community events all under one roof.
With a 4.8-star rating from over 1,600 visitors, it has earned a reputation as one of the most welcoming independent bookstores in New England. Whether you are a longtime reader or just looking for a fun afternoon out, this place has something waiting for you.
Arriving at An Unlikely Story
Pulling up to 111 South Street in downtown Plainville feels surprisingly easy, especially for a place this special. The building stands three stories tall and greets you before you even step out of the car.
Free parking sits right behind the store, and if that lot fills up on a busy Saturday, a larger free lot waits just across the street.
The moment you open the front door, a wave of fresh coffee smell drifts out and wraps around the whole block. It gives the street a warm, lived-in feeling that makes you slow down a little.
That first breath is basically the bookstore saying hello.
An Unlikely Story is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 8 PM and on Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM. You can also call ahead at 508-699-0244 or check out their website before visiting.
Getting here is the easy part. Staying for hours is the natural next step.
Stepping into the Historic Building
Long before it was a bookstore, this building had already lived several lives. Originally home to Falk’s Market, a general store that predates the Civil War, the space later became a pharmacy and even a tearoom.
That layered history did not disappear when An Unlikely Story moved in. Instead, it got woven right into the design.
Reclaimed wood floors sourced from old New England factories give the ground beneath your feet a story of their own. Reproductions of historic signs hang on the walls, quietly connecting today’s book browsers to the generations of Plainville residents who once shopped in the same spot.
It feels rooted without feeling stuffy.
Reviewers consistently mention the book-shaped birds hanging from the ceiling and the old signage as standout details. One visitor called them “fun details all over” that make the atmosphere feel intentional rather than accidental.
Every corner of the building hints that someone cared deeply about honoring what came before while building something new.
Browsing the Main Book Floor
Forget the overwhelming maze of a big-box bookstore. The main floor at An Unlikely Story is laid out to make browsing feel natural and unhurried.
The blue-and-gold color scheme ties the shelves together visually, so your eyes know where to go without any confusion.
New releases, bestsellers, and books from local authors all share space on the first floor. Staff recommendation cards are tucked throughout, and one reviewer noted that those picks consistently earned four stars or higher on Goodreads.
That kind of curation matters because it turns browsing into discovering.
The open layout gives you room to pull a book off the shelf and flip through it without bumping into anyone. You are not hunting for a specific title here as much as you are wandering and letting the right book find you.
The store also carries games, puzzles, journals, coasters, bookmarks, and quirky gifts that make it easy to leave with more than you planned. That is not a warning.
That is a promise.
Finding Cozy Reading Corners
Some bookstores feel like they want you to buy something and leave. An Unlikely Story feels like it genuinely wants you to stay.
Scattered across the first floor, plush armchairs and window seats invite visitors to settle in with whatever they just pulled off the nearest shelf.
The lighting stays soft and easy on the eyes, and the general hum of the store never rises above a comfortable background murmur. It creates the kind of atmosphere where losing track of time feels completely acceptable.
One reviewer mentioned going upstairs after shopping just to relax and read before heading to work, calling the experience something you could easily stretch into a full day.
These reading corners are not roped off or reserved. They are simply there, available, waiting for whoever needs a quiet moment.
Families with small children often end up camped out near the kids section, while adults tend to claim the armchairs near adult fiction. Either way, the message from the store is clear: sit down, open a book, and breathe.
Grabbing a Drink at the Café
Right on the first floor, the café at An Unlikely Story makes it almost impossible to walk by without ordering something. Coffee, tea, lattes, sandwiches, wraps, and baked treats are all on the menu.
One visitor raved about a graham cracker latte that matched any specialty coffee shop in quality, and another called the special cookie from the café absolutely amazing.
The seating on the main floor is cozy and compact, which adds to the charm rather than taking away from it. If you want more elbow room, the second floor offers additional tables and chairs where you can spread out with your drink and a new book.
The mixed scent of fresh pastries and paper pages drifting through the air is genuinely one of the better combinations you will encounter in a public space.
Café staff have received mostly warm reviews, with the book counter staff drawing particular praise for enthusiasm and helpfulness. A to-go coffee on the way out is basically a tradition for regular visitors.
Start one for yourself.
Exploring the Children’s Book Section
Walk toward the back of the first floor and the energy shifts noticeably. The children’s section bursts with color, low shelves built for small hands, and stuffed animals placed right next to the books they belong with.
It is the kind of setup that makes kids want to stay and explore rather than rush out.
Series like Dog Man, Magic Treehouse, and of course Diary of a Wimpy Kid all have a strong presence here. Signed copies of Jeff Kinney’s books are a genuine highlight for young fans, and the merchandise tied to the Wimpy Kid series adds an extra layer of excitement for anyone who has ever laughed at Greg Heffley’s misadventures.
Families regularly end up sitting right on the floor together, flipping through pages and sharing stories during their visit. One parent described bringing their three-year-old on a Friday night and calling the whole experience magical.
The cheerful atmosphere makes it easy for caregivers and kids to slow down together and enjoy the moment without any pressure to hurry up and choose.
Climbing to the Second Story Event Space
Head up the stairs and the bookstore opens into something a little different. The second floor functions as a flexible event space used for story times, author readings, trivia nights, book clubs, and family game nights.
The natural light that pours in makes the room feel open and easy to spend time in.
Tables and chairs fill the space comfortably without making it feel crowded. During events, the low buzz of conversation gives the floor a community-meeting-hall kind of energy that is hard to find anywhere else in a small town.
Several reviewers mentioned attending book signings here, including one who got to meet Jeff Kinney himself and called the experience amazing.
Even when no event is scheduled, the second floor offers a quieter place to sit with a café drink and read or chat with whoever you came with. The store posts its full event calendar on its website and social media channels.
Checking ahead before a visit is worth the thirty seconds it takes, because these events fill up.
Peeking into the Wimpy Kid Studio
Jeff Kinney is not just a name on the wall at An Unlikely Story. He is the owner, and the top floor of the building carries a creative space tied directly to his work on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
It is a studio with personality, not a museum piece behind glass.
Displays and creative touches connect the bookstore to the world of Greg Heffley without turning the whole place into a theme park. Signed copies of every book in the series are available for purchase, along with Wimpy Kid trinkets, wooden postcards, miniature book erasers, and other merchandise that fans find genuinely exciting.
One reviewer picked up a wooden postcard and described it as fabulous with full capital letters.
The studio space manages to feel special without overshadowing the rest of the store. It rewards fans who look closely without alienating visitors who have never read a single page of the series.
That balance is harder to achieve than it sounds, and An Unlikely Story pulls it off with ease.
Noticing the Thoughtful Details Throughout
Some stores look designed. An Unlikely Story looks cared for.
The difference shows up in small moments: a vintage sign hung at just the right height, a stack of books arranged with obvious intention, bathrooms that actually match the store’s overall theme. Yes, the bathrooms.
Multiple reviewers brought them up unprompted.
Old photographs and historic signage appear throughout the building, connecting modern shoppers to the long story of the space they are standing in. The book-shaped birds hanging from the ceiling are a particular favorite, drawing eyes upward in a way that feels playful rather than pretentious.
These are not decorations chosen from a catalog. They feel specific to this place and this town.
The store also offers complimentary gift wrapping and educator discounts, details that reflect the same thoughtfulness found in the physical space. A free rewards program and a regular newsletter keep regular visitors connected between trips.
Everything about the place suggests that the people running it thought carefully about what kind of experience they wanted visitors to have and then actually built it.
Joining a Community Event or Wrapping Up Your Visit
Regular events at An Unlikely Story turn an ordinary bookstore trip into something more social. Family game nights, workshops, author signings, and book club gatherings happen throughout the year both upstairs and on the main floor.
These events are not just add-ons. They are a core part of what makes the place feel like it belongs to the community rather than just existing inside it.
Before heading out, most visitors make one more pass through the gift displays near the front. Socks, journals, Wimpy Kid trinkets, cards, and small gifts for all ages line the shelves in a way that makes it genuinely hard to leave empty-handed.
Grabbing a to-go coffee from the café for the walk back to your car has become something of an unspoken ritual among regulars.
The satisfied feeling that follows a visit here is hard to describe precisely but easy to recognize. You spent time in a place that mixes books, food, local history, and real human warmth in a way that feels both practical and a little bit magical.
Come back soon.