These days the winds of change are blowing through the Town of Highland. We have welcomed wonderful new residents and businesses and, in some circumstances, had to bid a fond farewell to others.

In the latter category I am sad to say that the irrepressible Larry Farmer the “Maestro of All Things Fun” and the owner of the Lawrence Lounge and Motel in Yulan has sold his business and is sailing off to begin his next adventure.

Larry, a native of Philadelphia worked most of his life in construction and as a commercial roofer decided to retire to our community. In 2016 he bought the old Park Bar on Beaver Brook Road across from the ballfield in Yulan.

Since opening the Lounge and upgrading the five-room motel and working very hard, over the years the Lawrence Lounge has become a neighborhood favorite with good drinks, food and a wide array of fun including karaoke, Prom Night, games, sports events and live music.

Larry will be held in the highest esteem and his name writ large in the annals of our community as the founder of the “unofficial” official Saint Patrick’s Day Parade replete with extremely creative and jerry-rigged floats, a small convoy of private cars, and clusters of cheering onlookers along the rather diminutive parade route through Yulan and with a few of our ever watchful constables thrown into the mix -all adding up to a fun time that happily has the parade route conveniently culminating at the front door of the Lounge for the next round of celebrations.

Larry sharply dressed in his brilliantly patterned gold toned smoking jacket with black satin lapels was ever the gracious host and greeted everyone to his Lounge and its welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. It is the type of bar that always had something going on of interest to its patrons with Larry at the helm. “I loved living here and having my business, but I feel it’s time for me to move on to the next adventures of my life,” he told me.

And leave it to Larry Farmer to literally sail off into the sunset! He recently bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom houseboat (aptly named “The Maestro”) which is docked about thirty miles outside of New Orleans Louisiana.

He plans to live on the boat and leisurely explore the bayous, swamps, lakes, the upriver lands and the 3,000 miles of the Intercoastal Waterway along the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast which runs as far north as Point Pleasant New Jersey, around the Florida Coast and following the Gulf’s coastline to Brownsville Texas. “I have spent time in New Orleans and it’s really nice there,” he explained to me.

Larry sold his namesake Lounge to a friend and local small business entrepreneur and Lounge patron Scott Gilroy who plans to keep the Lounge and Motel “as is” and not make any changes which is wonderful news.

As to what memories will travel with him, Larry responded he will never forget the array of people and personalities that visited his bar. “I will miss the people I met and the good friends I was fortunate to make while living here- the kind of friends who are loyal and showed me respect for who I am and what I was doing-which is extremely hard to find in life! I will come back to visit and hope to plan it, so the “Unofficial” Official Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is taking place.”

Larry’s last days at the Lounge are this week so stop by and wish him Bon Voyage. He is ready for whatever comes next and yes, he is taking his gold tone smoking jacket with him as he navigates along through the magical bayous of Louisiana! You can keep up with Larry Farmer’s adventures by following him on Facebook.

Wishing you safe travels Larry, you will be missed. Thanks for all the great times and as the Cajuns in New Orleans say “Laissez les bon temps rouler!”