by Meagan A. Dion
Something didn’t match up about Larkin Stallings’ Southern accent and the Bruins and Red Sox stickers hanging behind him in his office. A Houston man with an affinity for the Patriots? Last time I checked, that was Texan territory. Lo and behold – the man knows his sports. After eagerly showing me pictures of Jonathan Kraft visiting one of the several sports bars Larkin owns in Houston, he cleared the air on his New England sport’s love affair.
“New England sports are infectious,” he said. “It’s a virus. You can’t get away.”
And I suppose the Texas transplant caught a similar bug on the Vineyard after his first trip to the Island with his wife Jackie 27 odd years ago. When they were dating, Jackie told him, “Someday we will live on Martha’s Vineyard.” Larkin’s response? “Where the **** is Martha’s Vineyard?”
One thing lead to another and now, after ten years as a resident on the Island, the Stallings have officially made Martha’s Vineyard home. And what better way to put their decades of experience in the bar and restaurant industry to use than to take over one of the most well established facilities on the Vineyard: The Ritz.
The Ritz has been a Circuit Avenue hot spot in Oak Bluffs since its grand opening in 1944. Prior, the space was a fish market and then a soda fountain. Changing hands only a handful of times, Larkin and Jackie Stallings are currently working closely with current owner Janet King to become the bar’s official fourth set of owners.
Larkin says plans for the renovated Ritz are to highlight the bar’s reputation as a local, funky, dive hangout and add a little Southern charm to it. “It’s all about making it simple and fun,” Larkin said.
One of the most notable features of The Ritz that the Stallings hope to expand upon is its rich involvement in the promotion of local music. Jackie and Larkin hope to dive into the scene to help musicians peddle their wares with weekly favorites like Johnny Hoy on Tuesdays and The Ritz house band every Friday. They will also host varying featured artists that will stop by to rock the house and an upgraded sound system, including the jukebox, will keep patrons on their feet. Larkin also recommends coming out on a Monday night for karaoke — which he can only describe as “stupid fun.”
Beyond the music scene, The Ritz has seen a physical facelift to reflect the Stallings’ Southern charm. They have added seven televisions for the sports nuts, updated the furniture, paint, and lighting, and have plans to reopen the kitchen with a Tex-Mex style small plate menu. The bar will now offer an even wider selection of high-quality liquors and beers and the Stallings have the intention of bringing a pool table back during the Winter season.
Larkin laughed when asked about rumors of Matthew McConaghey being an investor in the business but divulged that the “last month renovating The Ritz has been the most fun I’ve had in twenty years in the industry.” “I love it,” he said. “I love the building. I love Circuit Ave. I love The Ritz.”
MORE INFO:
4 Circuit Avenue
Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
theritzmv.com
