What’s Old Is New

My Father’s Place Set to Return to Roslyn

For those who were there, no one can ever forget My Father’s Place, the legendary rock club in downtown Roslyn, one that served as the creative hub of the music scene on Long Island and the New York City metropolitan area during the 1970s and ‘80s. Every big star of that era passed their way through the club, located under the now-William Cullen Bryant Bridge.

Michael “Eppy” Epstein, My Father’s Place’s equally legendary proprietor, never forgot those golden years. And, it is fair to say, he never stopped mourning being forced to close down the club that nurtured so much talent. That was a good 30 years ago. Eppy never gave up on his dream of moving back to Roslyn and, lo and behold, it will indeed happen.

Last week, it was announced that Epstein has entered into a licensing and joint venture agreement with the new owners of The Roslyn Hotel to develop an upscale supper club and restaurant at the hotel’s location at 1221 Old Northern Blvd.
The club is set to open in the spring of 2018. It won’t be a replica of the old My Father’s Place, but it will bring the same spirit to Roslyn that made the village the center of music on Long Island just three short decades ago.

“I don’t want to just bring back the old club, but I want to create a new experience,” Epstein said. “Today the music industry is not catering to my generation, but we still love going out, and we still love music. And on top of that, the music business is still not giving young kids and new acts a chance to play and develop. I want to fill these gaps.”

If that’s his goal, you can count on it happening. Starting in the early 1970s, My Father’s Place came along to give the disco era a swift kick, while rejuvenating the rock music scene on Long Island. The times were ripe for such a club as the New York City area was bursting with musical talent.

New Yorkers and New Jerseyeans who helped to make the club legendary included Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, The Ramones, Tom Waits, Elliot Murphy, Aerosmith and Blondie, plus comedians George Carlin, Billy Crystal and Eddie Murphy. The Police, The Talking Heads, George Carlin, James Brown, Stanley Clarke, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Burning Spear, Charlie Daniels, Linda Ronstadt and Rick Derringer were among other acts that made the trek to little Roslyn to receive an enthusiastic response from the most passionate music fans on Long Island.

During that golden era from 1969 to 1986, the club was a cultural capital, and decades later, the club’s name is still magic to the more one million people who went through its doors. While in exile, Epstein stayed in the music business, working for Steve Van Zandt of the E Street Band and nurturing new talent. The club was memorialized in a 2010 book, Fun and Dangerous: Untold Tales, Unseen Photos, Unearthed Music from My Father’s Place 1975-1980.

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The Roslyn Hotel was recently purchased by the 935 Lakshmi, LLC headed by longtime Long Islander Sudhir Kakar, and is managed by Bridgeton Holdings. Bridgeton plans to reposition the property into a luxury-style boutique hotel and they are currently working with Epstein on new designs for the club that will have a Gold Coast look and provide a comfortable and luxurious atmosphere for guests.

My Father’s Place at The Roslyn Hotel will feature state-of-the-art sound, lights and staging, and will present a wide variety of entertainers ranging from emerging pop and rock acts to legacy acts that performed at the original club.

“Roslyn is a town that understands, appreciates and expects quality and we want to present a high-quality product to our guests, whether it be food, service, accommodations, special events or anything else,” Sudhir said. “So being part of the reintroduction of an iconic club like My Father’s Place, which is stitched into the history of Roslyn, goes a long way in reviving excitement in the area for our guests and the residents of Roslyn.”