Beetlebung owners Renee and John Molinari, the newest holders of a seasonal all-alcohol license in Oak Bluffs, plan to cater to a different audience than the typical bar. The Menemsha-based business will fill one of several vacancies on Circuit avenue with a hybrid coffeehouse and bar, to open in May.
A Menemsha-based business will fill one of several vacancies on Circuit avenue with a hybrid coffeehouse and bar, to open in May.
Beetlebung owners Renee and John Molinari, the newest holders of a seasonal all-alcohol license in Oak Bluffs, plan to cater to a different audience than the typical bar.
The location for the new Beetlebung coffeehouse/retail store has been extensively renovated.
The location for the new Beetlebung coffeehouse/retail store has been extensively renovated.
“We are hearing from residents that Oak Bluffs is missing what people are referring to as an adult oasis,” said owner Renee Molinari by phone Wednesday. “The lounge is going to offer that.”
The space, which formerly housed Deon’s Restaurant and has been extensively renovated, will double as a coffeehouse and retail store during daylight hours.
The cafe will open at 7 a.m., serving espresso drinks, smoothies and iced tea. At 5 p.m., the lights will shift, signaling the opening of the evening lounge. The business will also serve as a retail space.
“We have been looking for a way to expand into the evening, but as a coffeehouse, that is hard to do,” Mrs. Molinari said.
To make it happen, they’ll employ an evening chef and mixologist. The new menu will feature cocktails like the Speakeasy Coffee Milk, the A&P and the Thai Blackberry Lemonade, and small plates prepared by chef Jerry Marano.
The building, which has high ceilings and wood floors, historically housed the A&P Grocery Company and Papa’s Pizza.
The Beetlebung coffeehouse opened in Vineyard Haven in 2005, but moved to Menemsha to join the retail store when that lease expired two years ago.
Mrs. Molinari said she and her husband fell in love with the upper section of Circuit avenue when they first acquired the property one and a half years ago. “We thought it was an ideal location,” she said.
Mrs. Molinari said Beetlebung was chosen as a name for the business about nine years ago because it’s fun to say.
“We hear people walking by our sign and saying it out loud,” she said.
Comments
Beetlebung Coffee shop and
Circuit to it us.Beetlebung Coffee shop and lounge, Edgartown National Bank new facility, Lamppost with a terrific renovation, lots of year round businesses, parks everywhere, a new fish pier - Oak Bluffs is doing just fine.
Sounds like this will be
Josh EdgartownSounds like this will be great, though the article made me nostalgic for some Papa's Pizza!
Blackberry lemonade...yum.
Lisa Bay AreaBlackberry lemonade...yum. When does it open?
Papas pizza! Still miss those
Darcie OB by way of NYCPapas pizza! Still miss those Greek salad and BLT pitas, but I think this new venture sounds good too ;)
Look forward to dropping by
Pat Manchester, CTLook forward to dropping by this August
Wish they'd get ou of
Joe AquinnahWish they'd get ou of Menemsha. Terrible replacement for Josh Aronie, no personal service, food sub standard! Their neighbor upstairs deserves it!
Beetlebung's food & drink
Annemarie Donahue EdgartownBeetlebung's food & drink menu has always been fabulous, made with fresh high quality ingredients.
John & Renee & their staff are friendly courteous people who understand how important it is to
keep their customers coming back for more ( which is exactly what they do over and over )
To suggest that " there is no personal service & the food is sub standard " is ridiculous and simply not true. Are you serious?!
Beetlebung was a favorite in
Dianne ChilmarkBeetlebung was a favorite in Vineyard Haven and continues to be up-island. My own visitors last summer were delighted with both the food and the service at Beetlebung in Menemsha -- In fact, one commented, "We've done the bus tour, and this is the first place we've stopped that anyone has smiled at us!"
Joes comment sounds more
Lisa Bay AreaJoes comment sounds more personal than factual. We have been visiting mv in the summers for years. Our first stop is always beetlebung for lobster sliders. We had a family reunion in mv a few years ago and we frequented beetlebung so often they had to order more lobster. My father developed a morning ritual of socializing w beetlebung staff and patrons. Food and service have always been excellent. And that's coming from a San Francisco foodie.
Could Oak Bluffs be marching
Susan EdgartownCould Oak Bluffs be marching into the 21st century...at long last?? Kudos to the Molinari's who will add some class and pizazz to Circuit Ave!
"Joe" from Aquinnah, has no
James Oak Bluffs"Joe" from Aquinnah, has no idea what he is talking about. am not going to address his comments by criticizing Mr.Aronie's business but go on to say Beetlebung has invested heavily, employing many Vineyarders in the process, into a building sorely in need of upgrading. The results and popularity of this work are obvious to all who drive past on any given day. No personal service? You must be joking. The workers are the friendliest, most motivated people I have met. The overflowing tip jar is testament to what every one else feels on this subject. Food substandard? Again I point to the immediate popularity of a restaurant started from nothing.That they are able to produce such high quality food from what they moved into is a miracle. And their neighbor upstairs has excellent relations with Beetlebung. From the very beginning a great deal of respect has been shown between the parties, resulting in good cooperation. I will leave it to others to describe how relations were handled by the previous tenant. Long live Beetlebung!
As a longtime member of
Miki Oak BluffsAs a longtime member of Beetlebung lovers I really can't wait to see this place to be finally open....Menemsha's CH is a great place with nice chill-out atmosphere, smiling crew and the best coffee on island...but the evening lounge with drinks and Jerry's specials? Sounds peeerfeeect <3
"Joe from Acquinnah" sounds
Maureen Chilmark"Joe from Acquinnah" sounds bitter and his comments are untrue & very unfair. Beetlebung was not responsible for Josh's departure from Menemsha! Get the facts Joe! Anyone who starts a business on Martha's Vineyard deserves applause, it is an extremely difficult undertaking and to do it as well as Beetlebung does is a such a positive and needed addition to the Island.
I am super excited about
Candice Oak BluffsI am super excited about Beetlebung opening up in Oak Bluffs! Finally a location within walking distance from me! Now I have the best coffee I've ever tasted just a few blocks away from home. And dear "Joe from Aquinnah"- Beetlebung didn't kick out the previous organization that was there or anything, so there is no reason for you to take your irrelevant anger out on the Beetlebung group. It's very immature and unprofessional. Good luck to Beetlebung and John & Renee - may you prosper! Oak Bluffs welcomes you!
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