New Portsmouth Restaurant is Open, but Owner Struggles to Get Word Out

Michael Richard came to Portsmouth to open his new restaurant in part because he fell in love with the town as a visitor.

“We fell in love with it when driving around by the water,” Richard said. “We couldn’t believe how much water there is and places to go kayaking, taking the boat out. It’s beautiful — the vistas with the bridges and everything else. It’s a remarkable place.”

What also is remarkable is the transformation that Richard made to the former Beach House in Island Park. What once was a popular nightspot and sore spot for residents due to noise, unruly behavior and other issues, is now a renovated and family-friendly restaurant that Richard said he wanted to be comfortable for any family to come and have dinner, play some air hockey and enjoy the patio out back.

The new restaurant is called The Beachcomber and it is modeled a bit after the Richard family’s other restaurant in Easton, Mass., where he enjoys a brisk business in part because of the family’s reputation for supporting the community. In fact, his application for a license here in Portsmouth was accompanied by glowing letters of recommendation from that town’s police department, including a promise that Richard would “bring the same values and ideals to the community of Portsmouth that the has brought to the Easton community.”

Richard ”did the whole thing over,” he said. “We cleaned up the patio out back. We made the kitchen bigger. We put in a bunch of TVs, Keno. We made it have a ‘get to know everybody’ atmosphere.”

The menu, similar to the successful menu in Mass., was created to appeal to families looking for uncomplicated but satisfying fare: pizza, buffalo wings, steak tips. He hired a local artist to paint a mural on the wall. And with a spot right on the water, you’d think that once word got around that The Beachcomber was open, customers would be packing themselves in every night.

But it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

“It has been slow,” Richard said. “I’ve had people who live in Island Park stop by and said ’we didn’t know you were open,’” Richard said.

He placed a few advertisements and even included a coupon in the local newspaper, but just one person came in to redeem it.

For a community that seemed excited to welcome Richard and his family to Portsmouth, the slow start has been a bit discouraging.

But Richard said he’s not giving up, especially after making such a big investment, including sponsoring a local Little League team long before he opened.

“It’s just tough getting the word out,” he said.

Part of the problem might stem from the former establishment’s reputation. It can take years for people to realize that not only is the old business gone, but the new business is totally different.

Others might not realize that The Beachcomber is a place where “I can take my five-year-old grandson and feel comfortable,” Richard said. “Here, kids don’t have to sit still. They can move around and be comfortable.”

Richard envisions a busy dining room full of happy families, children making happy noise.

“People like to go out with the kids to eat without worrying about them sitting there and being quiet,” Richard said.

There are signs of hope. Several people have come in and loved the pizza. A group of off-duty firefighters came in after a recent round of golf and “couldn’t get over how nice it looked.”

And there is a slow but growing number of people stopping by at night for a drink at the bar — yes, families are welcome and it’s no longer a nightclub, but The Beachcomber is still a beach bar, too.

There are trivia nights, entertainment on the weekends and plenty of reasons why adults might want to try the place sans children.

The Beachcomber is open daily. Richard said he pushed his opening time to around 3 p.m. due to the slow start, but he could open earlier if business picks up.

The business is located at 506 Park Ave. You can reach them at 401-683-1400 or visit them on Facebook.