Place Attachment and the Historic Brewpub: A Case Study in Greensboro,North Carolina

Abstract

Over the last few decades, brewpubs have emerged as a cultural phenomenon uniquely positioned to tie together downtown revitalization, historic preservation, and community connections to local place. This study seeks to understand how the benefits of historic preservation in a brewpub can extend beyond tax incentives to include positive social outcomes. In particular, the study here explores the types of attachments patrons may form to historic brewpub environments with an emphasis on the role of the physical built environment. This exploratory study used a mixed methods research design for a single case study brewpub site in Greensboro, North Carolina and in an establishment located along the main thoroughfare of the historic downtown. Data were collected through a structured online survey (n = 78) followed by the piloting of a photography activity (n = 7). Survey results revealed that attachment to the physical environment along with customer satisfaction were among the strongest predictors of overall place attachment. In addition, some meaningful differences in place attachment were identified based on sociodemographic factors such as frequency of visits and age. The photography project offered a more in–depth view of patron reactions to the brewpub's built environment. Taken together, the mixture of the methodologies employed in this study indicate that designing a historic physical environment in brewpubs is a promising strategy for engendering attachment to place for visitors.