“Just take those old records off the shelf, I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself,” sang Bob Seger in the opening line of “Old Time Rock & Roll.”

Detroit’s classic rocker got the first part right, but Jeff O’Brien has created an amazing place where you don’t have to listen to music by yourself. O’Brien, along with wife, Alexis O'Brien, and mother-in-law, Sandy Mily, opened The Red Ryder Lounge in September 2024, as a destination for those keen to not only remember and celebrate the old times but enjoy the present time.

Like the sound of a needle dropping on the opening track of a record, The Red Ryder Lounge is the perfect place for those who never lost their youthful desire for genuine connection.

“I grew up in Grand Rapids, and my dad was a musician and music was such a big part of my youth, and our basement was filled with musical instruments and records and we always hung out there listening to music,” O’Brien said. “We wanted to create that basement, hanging-out vibe where you meet with your friends and just chill out with great food and drinks with a record spinning in the background.”

With a vinyl collection of some 4,000 LPs and counting, Red Ryder features music of all kinds, all genres and all eras where the past can be celebrated and also experienced anew. They have DJs on the weekends spinning requests and themed nights throughout the month – including disco, funk, indie, classic rock and more. Check out the music calendar at redryderlounge.com/index.php/about.

That unique vibe and atmosphere isn't limited to inside the Red Ryder Lounge.

"We felt like Old Village Plymouth was the perfect place for what we wanted to create," O'Brien said. "Old Village is seeing more development, there are more reasons to come here and do some exploring. There are restaurants, a unique kitchen store, bike shop, boutique stores and other retail shops. It's an exciting time here in Old Village."

Even the name Red Ryder Lounge is a deep cut throwback to Old Village.

“We pay homage to the Daisy Air Rifle Company, which was known for the Red Ryder BB Gun of ‘A Christmas Story’ fame,” O’Brien said. “The factory was here in Plymouth, a few blocks down from us.”

The drinks are the chorus of The Red Ryder Lounge, which rocks craft cocktails, Harvey Wallbangers, sea breezes, old fashioneds, Manhattans, sazeracs and the popular new fashioned, made with tequila and palomas. Classic beers – Stroh’s, PBR, Old Milwaukee – go perfect with Thin Lizzy or Molly Hatchet on the turntable.

The full menu features many of the tavern-style greatest hits, from salads to baskets (try the grilled cheese) to burgers (the Red Ryder Burger features bacon, roasted red peppers, pepper jack and onions) to snacks (yes, they offer a Red Ryder pigs in a blanket).

Sandy Mily and her family are the former owners of Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center in Salem Township. But retirement wasn’t on their scorecard, so instead of heading to Florida, they teed up a place that took them back in time where people can still enjoy the simpler things in life.

“You never know what you’re going to hear,” O’Brien said. “It’s all about the music, the atmosphere, and connecting with the people around you. We wanted to create a space that is like the old neighborhood spot, where people would gather and share stories and memories and connect. And the space is just part of it – it is the people that make the Red Ryder world ‘spin right round’. Most of our staff have been with us since we opened our doors and we are so grateful for their hard work and dedication to serving the Plymouth community.”

Red Ryder Lounge, located at 584 Starkweather Street, in Plymouth, is open from 4-10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and from 4-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit redryderlounge.com