New owners, new bookers for Pappy & Harriet’s, but are big changes in store in Pioneertown?

on
1
Pappy & Harriet's

Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace might have new owners and new bookers, but chances appear slim that drastic changes are in store for the venerable High Desert outpost.

“The motto is ‘Don’t fix [what] ain’t broken,’ as they say,” said Morgan Margolis, president and CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment, which is part of the new ownership group.

The new owners take over for Robyn Celia and Linda Krantz, the New Yorkers who bought the restaurant/bar in 2003. In late April, James Irvine and Phil Pirrone were announced as new talent buyers for the venue. Irvine is a senior talent buyer for Knitting Factory venues and festivals nationwide, and Pirrone is the founder of the 10-year-old Desert Daze festival (in which KFE is now a partner).

“Honor of a lifetime,” Pirrone said of his new duties.

Said Margolis: “Phil and I have the relationship of working together as partners on Desert Daze. I brought Phil in, as I wanted someone local to the desert music scene [who] would keep the vision of the previous ownership and to make sure we stuck to a holistic plan.” He added that some of the current outside promoters who stage shows at the venue would remain involved, and the aim will be “keeping the spirit independent, as KF has been since 1987.”

As for possible changes at the venue, which like much of the High Desert region is increasingly popular with Los Angeles weekenders, Margolis said, “[The deal] is still so new and [we’re] assessing it all. It’s really about upgrading some of the systems from point-of-sale to WiFi to sound gear, wait times and venue patron flow across the bars.

“But in terms of the booking, what Robyn and Linda did was always fantastic. We just hope to keep it as good as it was and supplement with our 30 years of history in the industry. We really want the community to feel as though the transition is seamless. We are not here to disrupt an already-terrific model. Local shows are just as important to us as national headliners; [it’s] always has been that way for us in every market. We want to be an inclusive space to all.”

Over the years, Pappy & Harriet’s has become legend for its mix of big-name shows, mini-festivals and local nights, all while serving up comfort food highlighted by its barbecue.