ITHACA, N.Y.—Longshots Sports Bar and Grill opened its doors for service May 18 in Triphammer Marketplace, in the space where notable neighborhood bar, The Rose, was located until it closed in 2018.
The bar is owned and operated by Seabring Inn owners Sabine Detterbeck and Jordan Rosenbaum, along with Scott Rougeau, a long-time bartender at Uncle Joe’s sports bar in downtown Ithaca.
The three have fostered a close relationship, personally and professionally, for many years. Combined, Rougeau estimated they have 60-70 years of restaurant and service experience.
Rougeau told The Ithaca Voice he has talked about opening his own place as long as he has been in the service industry. After being hired to help support the Seabring Inn during the pandemic, Detterbeck and Rosenbaum agreed to a partnership with Rougeau.
When the location in Triphammer Marketplace became available, Rougeau said it seemed like a great opportunity to get the ball rolling on the sports bar.
“The Rose was [in the space] years before as well as Nardi’s Pizzeria. They were successful for a long, long time,” Rougeau said. “I’m not sure exactly why they closed down, but they definitely left a void in the community for a more casual setting with food and drink.”
The three ended up renting half of the space that was originally occupied by The Rose, and after discussing leasing matters with building owners, they started construction on the space.
Mainly, Rougeau said, the kitchen needed renovations and the team invested in an entirely new kitchen, complete with all new equipment from fryers and grills to freezers and refrigerators.
Longshots has been significantly busy since it opened its doors, and according to Rougeau, they’re still “rockin ‘and rollin’.” He said currently, the bar is open Thursday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. But as additional staff are hired and their systems have been refined, Longshots is expected to be open to the public seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to serve lunch, to 1 a.m. for the “bar crowd.”
The initial outpouring of support from the surrounding community has been “outstanding,” according to Rougeau. He said the staff and owners are excited to host major sporting events in the space, which also includes a pool table, a dart board, a “Golden Key” video game and a jukebox.