Dreamland, a concert and function venue above the Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Co. in Oak Bluffs, will reopen March 5 as LoFT at Dreamland, a game room and lounge for adults, according to manager J.B. Blau. The Thursday evening event is a “soft opening,” with an official grand opening planned later this month.
“We’re trying to provide activities for people 21 and over, who can make a night out of dinner at the Chowder Co., and go upstairs to play pool, shuffleboard, darts, foosball,” Mr. Blau said. “We’re hoping it’s going to be a fun place for adults to chill out. It’s going to be a neat mix.”
The new facility will be open year-round. It will feature table games, large-screen TVs, and a full-service bar. In the coming weeks, Mr. Blau plans to introduce a menu of pub fare, and add more games and activities. “It’s going to be very sports-friendly,” Mr. Blau said.
There is also a VIP room for smaller functions and parties, but the space will no longer be booked for large functions, weddings, or concerts. Mr. Blau said a concert-quality sound and lighting system will remain.
“We’re going to feature local live music and DJs,” Mr. Blau said. “Unfortunately, the days of losing money on big shows have to end. It doesn’t make sense to do large productions. We tried for three years, we had over 150 shows, and almost every single show broke even or lost money.”
The building, which has a storied past, has seen many changes. The large, second floor space was last used by Ryan Family Amusements, a Cape-based company, as the Dreamland Game Room. The arcade, popular with parents and kids, closed in 2005 and moved to Circuit Avenue in 2006, taking over the space that was once the Atlantic Connection Nightclub.
