With the sale of Flatbread, a musical era at the building that once housed The Hot Tin Roof comes to a close. New owner Brion McGroarty will open a restaurant named Tin Hangar.
With the sale of Flatbread, a musical era at the building that once housed The Hot Tin Roof comes to a close. New owner Brion McGroarty will focus only on food, he said, in creating an affordable mid-Island destination called Tin Hangar.
Mr. McGroarty said many of the details are still being ironed out, but expects a late July or early August opening.
“The whole restaurant is geared towards year-round people. If we get some of the end of the summer crowd, great,” he said.
Flatbread went on the market last year for $1.15 million. When no buyer stepped forward, Mr. McGroarty, co-owner of the building and owner of MV Wine and Spirits, negotiated an amicable buyout with Flatbread ower Jay Gould, Mr. McGroarty said.
Mr. McGroarty is not new to the restaurant world. He owned and operated The Wharf in Edgartown for 18 years. In his opinion, what had not been working at the Flatbread space was the music component.
“After 30 years I think we’ve pretty much proven the entertainment part is not viable,” he said. The building was once home to the Hot Tin Roof and Outerland.
Flatbread opened in 2010 and hosted many musical performances, including the annual Stars and Stripes concert, a show that benefits the YMCA and has been hosted at Flatbread since its inception.
To make the space viable, Mr. McGroarty plans to keep everything simple, along with the name.
“It’s a metal building and we’re at the airport,” he said of the decision to call it Tin Hangar.
The reason to buy was also simple. “So I could control our destiny here,” he said.
The plans for the restaurant are to create an affordable place to eat up-Island.
“We’re pointing to simple, family friendly fare — pizza, burgers, sandwiches,” Mr. McGroarty said.
The buy-out is still in progress and Mr. McGroarty said it will be complete once the liquor license is transferred to his son Jack, who will manage the restaurant. Minor renovations will take place to divide the building into two establishments. The front will be Tin Hangar and the back will be for lease. Mr. McGroarty said a renter has not been chosen yet, but he is in discussions with a few interested parties.
The restaurant will operate seasonally, shutting down for January, February and March.
“I think there’s a need for affordable dining, especially in this location,” he said. “It’s the middle of the Island, easy to get to and the traffic and congestion are not a problem.”
When it comes to splitting time between MV Wine and Spirits (which he runs with his son Brion) and Tin Hangar, Mr. McGroarty is not worried.
“You can ask my son, I don’t do much around here,” he said with a laugh.
Comments
Three cheers for Brion and
Arnie Reisman Vineyard HavenThree cheers for Brion and his boys! Love the idea of affordable dining mid-island. Good luck!
“The whole restaurant is
Edgartonian“The whole restaurant is geared towards year-round people". "The restaurant will operate seasonally, shutting down for January, February and March." Um, OK which is it?
If you live here year round
Karl EdgartownIf you live here year round and a restaurant is open September-December that's a positive thing.
Awesome news!! This family is
Erin Townsend Edgartown & TampaAwesome news!! This family is successful in whatever they do there is no doubt that tin hangar will be great for the vineyard. What a hard working family!!! Cheers!!!!!!
“After 30 years I think we’ve
Lillian Falmouth“After 30 years I think we’ve pretty much proven the entertainment part is not viable,” he said. The building was once home to the Hot Tin Roof and Outerland.
It's a highly positive outcome that local owners stepped up however, the above comment is concerning. The overall economy of the island and towns surrounding is effected when there is a closing of a business that draws people to the area. A family friendly place is always a good thing but the mid 30 to 40 year-old's who are and will soon be taking over the economic sustainability of the area need to be taken into consideration. There won't be families to eat at a family friendly place for partial year round service if there is not enough variety in culture, experiences, housing, or opportunities for them to settle and sustain a livelihood.
It's just a sad concept to see yet another music venue on island close it's doors especially when the arts are so celebrated in this area. To say that entertainment is not viable is so upsetting. 30 years operating as a music venue is a long time and is no small feat. 30 years does not seem "not viable".
It will always be a music venue to many however, it's understandable that things do change. Maybe someday it will be home to a space to feel alive in and to music again.
In the mean time, many well wishes to the new owners.
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