Faces Brewing Co. Opens During the Pandemic and Learns to Adapt | Eater Boston

"Opened in June 2020 at 50 Pleasant St. in Malden, this spacious brewpub occupies a historic former bank (reportedly the site of the United States’ first armed bank robbery) and was launched by the Martignetti brothers with childhood friend and brewer Eddie Ducharme; executive chef Ezra Gold oversees a beer-friendly menu. The team pivoted early in the pandemic to to-go canned beer sales—offering Progression, a New England IPA, among other New England IPAs, a Mexican lager, a kettle stout, and more—and built an outdoor beer garden in anticipation of outdoor seating before adding limited indoor dining under COVID-19 restrictions. Menu highlights include a fried fish sandwich, grilled cheese, pretzels with beer cheese, pizza, fried dough bites, and a weekend brunch featuring shakshuka, chicken and waffles, and avocado toast, plus cocktails like coffee mudslides and a watermelon rosé sangria. Drawing on the family’s longtime ties to the region’s nightlife and beverage business (including Martignetti Liquors and the now-defunct Lanes and Games), the owners emphasize flexibility—adjusting hours, offerings, and staffing as needed—and rely on social media and can/merch sales to build awareness amid reduced commuting and limited word-of-mouth. Despite challenges around marketing, changed customer routines, and the difficulty of fostering hospitality in a distanced, masked environment, the brewpub has developed regulars, seen improving evening traffic with the return of sports, and reports strong customer compliance with safety rules." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal