‘The Place 2 Be’ opens new location in Springfield - Western Massachusetts News

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - A popular Connecticut brunch spot has made its way across the border to Massachusetts. The Place 2 Be restaurant chain opened its Springfield location on Wednesday.

“I just love the energy on a Saturday or Sunday when the music is going, the drinks are flowing. It is unreal,” said The Place 2 Be Owner Gina Luari.

A restaurant that fits its name, The Place 2 Be is expanding its business to the Bay State opening a new location in Springfield at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

“It really just came from a love for brunch and being able to have a space where it had comfort food and it felt comfortable and you can come super dressed up or after a wild night,” Luari added.

Luari opened the first Place 2 Be in 2016 in the south end of Hartford, but with no reservations, you can imagine how busy this popular spot can get. When Luari realized a large majority of the crowds at her three Connecticut locations were coming from western Massachusetts, she knew they had to expand.

“When we opened our downtown location, we launched our order-and-pay system and we had amazing data from that system that showed so many 413 area codes. Prior to that, we did not know we had such a huge customer base in [Massachusetts]...For everyone driving and waiting three hours, it was so inconvenient to them, so we wanted to be more convenient to the 413 customer base,” Luari added.

Luari told Western Mass News this is her largest location to date.

“What is so exciting about this place is one it has parking. That is huge for us and it has four bars, along with a private event space, which we always get asked for. None of our other locations can accommodate that,” Luari noted.

Western Massachusetts residents are already out enjoying the city’s newest place to be on opening day.

“It’s closer. I usually go to the one in Connecticut, but this one is closer because I live in Springfield and I usually come here for mimosas,” said Elashia from Springfield.

That is exactly the response Luari hoped for as she grows her business to meet the demand of her loyal customer base.

“I think the need for expansion really just came through a need for our customer base and really trying to alleviate wait times at different locations and becoming more convenient to our customer base. It took on a life of its own,” Luari said.

Customers can come to the new location seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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