Drawn Agency | PublicHouse

PublicHouse

A community gathering space with an emphasis on eating, drinking, and connecting with other humans.

The guys behind Tap & Growler and Beergarden tapped us once again to design a food hall that would bring locals and tourists together to eat, drink, and strike up many a conversation. PublicHouse, in downtown Springfield, Oregon, is a family-friendly place to gather that includes independently owned food pods, a beer hall, an outdoor bar, outdoor eating spaces with communal tables, and a couple of stylish whiskey bars. PublicHouse won Travel Lane County’s 2019 Destination Award.

Crowd inside Public House, a converted church with stained glass, arches and a long table

A Sublime Space

PublicHouse is located in Springfield, Oregon’s historic Washburne District, in a 100-year-old landmark building that was originally built as a church. Light streams in through the high, stained glass windows and enlightens beer hall patrons.

Seniors seated at long tables in a converted church hall with stained-glass windows

Backlit wood shelves of a coffee bar holding mugs, glasses and bagged coffee above a small sink

A Glass House

The PublicHouse logo — and much of the interior design concept — was inspired by the stained glass windows that are original to the former church’s architecture.

Pub interior with wooden high-back booth benches, blue cushions and stained-glass partitions

Public House Springfield Ore sign with stained-glass panel on a shingled building, 418

Stone restaurant building at dusk with patio diners under red umbrellas and string lights

Pub seating with wooden picnic-style tables and benches below colorful stained-glass windows

Outdoor beer garden at dusk with people at picnic tables, live band and string lights

Objets d'art On High

We custom created original artwork to mimic the stained glass scenes found in churches throughout the world for the PublicHouse beer hall. Instead of key religious moments, ours depict hardworking, beer-loving Oregonians in their natural habitat.

Two stained glass windows depicting a woman and a bearded man in workwear among trees

Stained-glass-style artwork of a bearded man in overalls holding a beer and fishing rod

Stained-glass-style illustration of a woman holding an axe with a pileated woodpecker and tree

Whiskey Worship

The Whiskey Lab at PublicHouse feels intimate and maybe a bit illicit — in an alluring sort of way. It’s a place where lovers of fine spirits and craft cocktails can debate any number of topics from antique armchairs while bathing in the flattering glow of one hundred Edison bulbs.

Public house interior with long wood bar, hanging Edison bulbs, and lounge chairs by windows

Dim pub interior with dark blue walls, vintage tufted armchairs and wooden high-backed booth seating

Restaurant booths with oak dividers and leaded diamond-pane glass over green leather seating

Dim bar interior with a velvet orange armchair, wood table, and tall windows with warm light

A Place for Community

In 2011, a local nonprofit converted the First Christian Church building into a food-business incubator called Sprout, which saw some success, but eventually folded. In 2018, local restaurateurs Colby Phillips and Patric Campbell purchased the building and invited Drawn to create a space that would become not only a regular stop for Springfield residents, but also a draw for tourists to the region — all while supporting local small businesses and standing behind locally sourced food. Colby, who was born and raised in Springfield, had always wanted to help revitalize the downtown area.

Stone Tudor-style building exterior with yellow trim and a patio with red umbrellas under a blue sky

Crowded brewery in a converted church with arched ceilings, string lights and stained glass windows