A “third space.” Every community has them. Barbershops, churches, coffee shops, VFW’s, local parks. Gathering places that aren’t home, aren’t work, but welcome you in to come together and socialize.

In Rock Hall, the Old Oars Inn Bar and Restaurant on Main Street was a beloved third space. A watering hole par excellence, you could chat with a waterman over a $.75 Budweiser and a burger, meet a friend for dinner, or just nurse a drink and wind down your day. As a meeting place, it worked out well because it was hard to miss—the proud bow of a Chesapeake Bay deadrise had been prominently fixed to the right side of the building.

Housed in a 19th century building in the heart of Rock Hall’s historic downtown, the Old Oars space has lived many lives. It functioned for years as the town’s Post Office, and later, became another cherished third space when it operated as Fred and Betty’s Tavern. As the Old Oars Inn, it transformed again, gaining a decorative workboat on its facade in ‘85 and achieving landmark status along the way.

The workboat had its own story. Named the Reuben James after a sunken WWII Navy vessel off the coast of Iceland, her captain, Charles “Brother” Jacquette, survived the wreck and returned to Rock Hall where he oystered and fished on her for many years. Jacquette died in 1985 and in his honor, Reuben James was disassembled and attached to the exterior of the Old Oars Inn.

Today, the Old Oars has been closed for almost 20 years, but the community hasn’t forgotten its third space. In fact, when a truck crashed into the building in the 90’s and took down the bow of the Reuben James, the owners of the building had the vessel reassembled so that she could continue to watch over downtown Rock Hall from her perch. In essence, she rose again.

The Old Oars Inn is currently seeking new ownership—a golden opportunity to revive a community icon in the heart of Rock Hall. For motivated buyers, there’s plenty of funding opportunities to sweeten the deal: Main Street Rock Hall is currently awarding up to $10k in matching funds for facade improvement grants, with the grant cycle opening again in Spring of 2024. And the Old Oars Inn is also located in a Maryland “enterprise zone,” making new owners eligible for real property and state income tax credits in return for job creation and investments.

There’s never been a better time to restore this icon of Chesapeake history. Surrounded by the charm of Rock Hall’s thriving main street and the boaters, watermen, tourists, and families that congregate here year-round, the Old Oars Inn is ready for the next chapter in its long community story.

Asking $135,000. Contact Courtney to schedule a showing.