Lincolns, a Secretive Speakeasy, Opens in Burlington

The owners of the speakeasy that opened last month in downtown Burlington will divulge its name — Lincolns — but not its location. The new bar with covered windows is somewhere off Church Street, and having to find it is part of the appeal, co-owner Chris Beaulieu said.

“Once someone finds it, they tell people; they tell their friends,” said Beaulieu. He expects to continually see new customers discovering Lincolns for the first time.

When the hunt is over, a bar-goer will discover a space that resembles a tavern from centuries past: high, dark wood tables; a lithograph of the nation’s first president and numerous images of its 16th; and a barkeep who accepts cash only. Prices evoke bygone days, too: Every drink is $5, and so is a bowl of chili mac and cheese.

“The whole business model is simplicity,” Beaulieu said. “We built this place for people who want to come and hang out, people who want to talk to one another. I think that’s been lost over the years.”

The draft list consists of five beers — three from Vermont — and one hard cider. One of the lines is reserved for Allagash Brewing White, brewed in Portland, Maine. That’s a nod to the hometown of the first Lincolns, which opened about three years ago, according to Beaulieu. He moved from Maine to open the Burlington Lincolns.

A selection of 10 spirits, including vodka, gin, rum, tequila and whiskey, go into the mixed drinks or can be ordered straight up. The cover charge is also $5 on Tuesday standup comedy nights, and that money goes to the performers.

Still in the works: “rock, paper, scissors” tournaments on Wednesdays. “We want to create an environment for the locals,” Beaulieu said.

This article appears in Jan 24-30, 2018.

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