Rocky Hill’s third monthly Silent Book Club was this past Sunday and was another great success. In addition to our “screen-free” time, the club builds community, and supports a local business, Still Hill Brewery, at a time when supply chains are uncertain, and normal channels of procurement are anything but normal.
Unlike a conventional book club, the crux of a Silent Book Club is that you are reading at the meeting, and a book of your choosing, for about an hour. During this time there is no conversation; the point is to focus on that book that you’ve been meaning to read, and to enjoy a beverage in the company of others. After the reading time, there is socializing with spirited discussions. On Sunday, for example, we focused on the “pros” but mostly “cons” of public transit in Connecticut, some insight on the various progressive groups in the state, and last week, we learned about the struggles of Covid-era State Executive Order compliance, and the complexity of public health versus that of business health.
Silent Book Clubs are meant to help build community and break down the isolation that dominates modern life. They are also meant to support local businesses. There is a sense that our small breweries are struggling. This is the result of a combination of factors: the aforementioned operating and inventory costs, a popular influx of spirits and spiked seltzers now flooding the market, and a downward trend in dining out, in general; all with negative impacts on the scrappy small local brewery.
When Claudia Baio and I launched this project in late January 2025, we both named Still Hill immediately. It is a friendly spot, with a friendly host and proprietor and we knew that its location off-the-beaten-path can absorb a big group. We have brought in 10-14 patrons for each of our visits, often doubling the existing head count of patrons. The group has attracted 35 unique attendees overall, from four different towns. Not everyone comes to every meeting, so the depth of the group helps to guarantee at least a dozen members each visit. As a courtesy to Still Hill, we ask that attendees make at least one purchase. Non-drinkers have a wide variety of options, and the house favorite, the hot pretzel, is perfect for our “between meals” 4:00-5:30 time slot. An occasional on-site food truck is another fun factor.
We look forward to growing this movement with our “phones down” & our “BYO book” with meditative reading, and community camaraderie.
Read with friends in Rocky Hill
Silent Book Club®️ Rocky Hill, CT
Co-hosts Alan Baglia and Claudia Baio
instagram.com/silentbookclub_rockyhill
Upcoming dates
Sundays May 18, June 8, July 13, August 10 and more
4:00-5:30pm
Late arrivals welcome
Still Hill Brewery
1275 Cromwell Ave (in the Shunpike Business Center)
Rocky Hill, CT
