Tiny Pubs Bring Authentic Irish Charm to New England Driveways
Just before St. Patrick's Day, a surprising sight appeared in a suburban Massachusetts driveway: a fully functional Irish pub, complete with music and Guinness on tap, nestled beneath a basketball hoop. Neighbors gathered around the bar as the tiny pub, towed in for the night, transformed the space into a festive hub. Instead of heading out to celebrate, the bar came to them, courtesy of Tiny Pubs, a small business run by brothers Matt and Craig Taylor.
These miniature Irish pubs on wheels are designed for holidays, weddings, and backyard parties across New England. Decorated with antique signs, church pews, an electric fireplace, and a bar crafted from the front panel of an 1864 piano, they recreate the cozy feel of a traditional Irish pub while being compact enough to fit in a driveway.
A Neighborhood Pub That Brings People Together
Mark Cote, who hosted the pub in his Andover driveway, described it as a time to forget about the world's troubles. "That's what pubs are supposed to be — for people coming together and having fun," he said. Around 20 people from five families, whose children grew up together, squeezed into the roughly 20-foot-long space for Cote's annual holiday party, creating a genuine neighborhood bar atmosphere.
The idea for Tiny Pubs began during the COVID-19 lockdown, when the Taylor brothers, retired from corporate finance, missed their favorite Irish pubs. The first version was built in Matt Taylor's driveway in Reading, 12 miles north of Boston. "When we were building the pub in this neighborhood, neighbors thought a pub was going to be living here full time," he recalled. "We had to kind of settle them down a little bit." They worked late into the night before their first rental, with Matt worrying about the windows cracking during towing, but it went smoothly.
What started as a pandemic project has grown into a small business with four bars, including two Irish pubs, booked most weekends throughout the year.
Building an Authentic Irish Pub Experience
The brothers aimed to make the tiny bars feel like real Irish pubs, not themed party props. "We have Irish friends who told us, 'You better not have leprechauns and stuff in there,'" Craig Taylor said. "So we said, 'No — it's going to be authentic.'" They visited Irish pubs around New England while designing the interior, choosing classic colors like jasper green and Irish cream.
Nearly every detail inside tells a story:
- The bar is built from the front panel of an 1864 piano.
- Church pews salvaged from a local church provide seating.
- A pair of horseshoes from a farm in Ipswich hang above the door for luck, pointed down when guests enter and up when they leave.
- A hymn rack holds a book of Irish surnames where visitors mark their family names, sometimes with a dollar bill, sparking conversations about ancestry.
- Packages of Scampi Fries, a popular pub snack imported from Ireland, are available.
- A corkboard displays patches from police and fire departments, a tradition common in pubs where first responders gather.
Craig Taylor noted that guests often point out details like the Scampi Fries or a family name, shifting the experience from novel to personal.
For Weddings, Bachelor Parties, and Even Celebrations of Life
The pubs have been rented for various events, including by Guinness for weeks at a time and by a state senator during South Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade. They have even been used for celebrations of life after funeral services.
Jarred Guthrie of Swampscott said his family has rented the original pub for years as part of an annual St. Patrick's celebration. The party draws about 125 people, with an Irish band playing inside the house while guests move between rooms, the pub, and a waterfront yard overlooking the ocean. "People feel emboldened," Guthrie said. "There's a lot of singing that happens in that pub. It's a place where people naturally come together."
Like Christmas Morning
Before each event, the brothers personalize the space with custom posters, often featuring a family crest and naming the host as the temporary "proprietor." "It's a special thing for a lot of people to be able to come into an authentic Irish pub," Matt Taylor said. "Maybe they're not able to get back to the old country, so it's meaningful to them."
The parties go on regardless of weather, with each pub equipped with heat and air conditioning for all seasons. The Taylors wait until everything is ready—lights low, music on, taps flowing—before letting guests in. Craig Taylor described the moment people step inside for the first time as "like Christmas morning," evoking memories of family, tradition, and Ireland itself. "People say you're like Santa Claus," he added. "You're delivering joy every day."
When the night ends, the brothers aren't in a hurry to take the pub away. "We never want to kick anybody out of an Irish pub," Matt Taylor said. Instead of picking it up late at night, they return the next morning. Craig Taylor joked that when he asks hosts how long the party lasted, the answer is often, "Like, three in the morning," and sometimes people are found sleeping on the pews.
