When My Father’s Place on Bryant Avenue in Roslyn closed in 1987, owner Michael “Eppy” believed that it would never spring back to life anywhere else.
After returning the storied name to the Long Island area four years ago at the Roslyn Hotel, Epstein knows generations have missed out on witnessing the magic that often came to the venue.
“I had this idiosyncrasy that the club will only be successful in Roslyn and that’s what I told The New York Times,” Epstein said. “But you know what? I finally did it and realize now it was a phobia that ridiculously wasted 35 years of my life and the life of a whole generation that never went to the club because they were too young.”
The original My Father’s Place drew some of the biggest names in music from 1971 until it closed in 1987.
The concert hall next to Diane’s Bakery & Cafe on Bryant Avenue hosted prominent acts as they were making their way toward stardom, including Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen and The Ramones.
Epstein recently opened his doors and started putting on shows in May at The Metropolitan in Glen Cove, where he lives. One of the first acts to perform in the 150-seat venue was Jeff Skunk Baxter, a former member of Steely Dan for their first three albums before joining the Doobie Brothers in 1974.
The Glen Cove location features a similar system that My Father’s Place used at the Roslyn Hotel and Bryant Avenue, dinner theater in a venue that resembles a supper club. Patrons purchase tickets for the musical act Friday, Saturday and Monday nights and can order food and drinks à la carte.
Epstein said that the business relationship with The Metropolitan is amazing following years marked by COVID-19 and tension.
“They’re very nice and I’m very happy with them,” Epstein said of The Metropolitan ownership, specifically Raj and Rekha Maini.
My Father’s Place at the Roslyn Hotel stopped performing shows on March 17, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Epstein told Blank Slate Media last August that he was looking to renegotiate the terms of the contract he originally signed in 2017 when he reopened the legendary venue in a joint agreement with the hotel.
Epstein said as president of Roz Lyn Entertainment Corp., the entity in charge of My Father’s Place, he wanted to increase his company’s share of the venue’s food and alcohol sales, which is currently 10%. While the final percentage is up for negotiation, Epstein said he also wants to give up his 5% share of the revenue from the hotel restaurant, 1221 at MFP.
Alex Ewen, CEO of Roz Lyn Entertainment, said in an August 2021 e-mail that Epstein is not an operator, president, officer or employee of Roz Lyn Entertainment.
Epstein disputed Ewen’s claims around the same time, saying he is the operator of My Father’s Place and president of Roz Lyn Entertainment.
My Father’s Place’s upcoming show, which can be found on their Facebook and website, features China Crisis, a Merseyside, England act with 11 U.K. Top 50 singles and three U.K Top 40 albums, as well as commercial success in Western Europe, Australia and the Americas.
Epstein said he has had people come from as far as Kentucky to see a show at the venue and catch their favorite acts during the Northeast part of their respective tours.
On July 30, Robert Gordon, a rockabilly musician who revived the genre into the mainstream in the ‘70s, is scheduled to perform.
