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For longtime fans of The Bamboo Club, the announcement of new ownership easily triggers anxiety, especially after the departure of longtime barhead, Dustin Rodriguez: What changes? What disappears? What gets “fixed” that never felt broken?

Kevin Larsen understands that fear—and, frankly, he wishes he could skip ahead a year just to prove everyone can exhale. And see that he isn’t here to fix anything. Well, except that broken stool.

“I wish I could fast-forward into a year from now,” Kevin said, “and people would be like, ‘It’s exactly the same still. He’s still not messing with it.’”

That sentiment defines his approach as the newly minted owner of one of Long Beach’s most beloved neighborhood bars, purchased from Jim Ritson following the earlier departure of co-owner Brett Gallo. Where many new owners arrive with sweeping plans and immediate declarations, his first instinct has been restraint: learn first, adjust carefully, and protect what already works.

That doesn’t mean nothing changes. It means changes happen carefully, often invisibly. He has already brought on chef Joe Herrera—known locally for work at Colussus and other respected kitchens—to quietly evaluate food operations. But his instructions were immediate: learn first, touch nothing unnecessarily.

“The first month, I told him: just learn about us, how it all works,” Kevin said. “We want changes to feel organic, not force.”

Written by Brian Addison. Photos by Brian Addison / Courtesy of business. 

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