The following is the full article quoted from The Falmouth Enterprise published on 6/19/26, pages 1 & 12, entitled, “A New Life For The Old Casino”.
This week, the final touches of design and décor will be added, light fixtures and speakers installed, furniture moved in and the menu finalized before owner Alex Khan welcomes the first customers to his new restaurant, The Old Casino, at 286 Grand Avenue in Falmouth Heights.
Khan’s reimagining of the historic restaurant and bar aims to revive a sense of nostalgia for the Cape Cod summer experience—good company, drinks and meals enjoyed with an oceanfront view.
The building sits on 0.86 acres overlooking Vineyard Sound and includes a private beach and three stories of waterfront residential condominiums.
Khan, who also owns other Falmouth Heights businesses—Shipwrecked, The Heights Hotel and the commercial unit housing The Old Casino—grew up spending his summers in Falmouth.
Over the years, he said, he has watched Falmouth Heights evolve. Compared with the 1990s, for example, there are fewer rooms available for college students looking to spend the summer in town as lifeguards, as Khan once did.
To help shape the future of the space, Khan sought public input. More than 750 people completed a survey about what the restaurant should serve, the type of entertainment it should offer and what the venue should prioritize.
The responses revealed fond memories of hearing local musicians play at the wharf, buying and trading penny candy with friends and grabbing lunch from a service window after a day at the beach. At one point in the early 1900s, the wharf even included a movie theater and a post office. According to Enterprise archives, the original casino was built in the 19th century and burned down in 1909. The current building was constructed in 2004 and contains nine units, eight of which house residential condominiums.
Khan said the responses to the survey were both informative and specific. They reinforced what he had already begun to suspect: people are hungry for nostalgia. The vision that emerged, he said, is a community gathering place that appeals to multiple generations and creates new memories for both locals and visitors.
Although a regular schedule has not been set beyond the soft opening this weekend, Khan plans to operate throughout the summer and remain open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the off-season. As he has done with Shipwrecked, he plans to make improvements each winter to update and improve the restaurant.
Standing on The Old Casino’s first-floor deck, Khan said he can already imagine the connections that will be made and the strangers who will become friends. Whiskey barrels converted into standing cocktail tables will be placed alongside lower tables and seating areas, a setup designed to encourage conversation.
The setting itself provides plenty to take in. Every seat offers views of the water, Falmouth Heights Beach and Martha’s Vineyard in the distance. Boats crest waves offshore, beachgoers fill the sand and surf, and walkers pass by with their dogs. Khan hopes all that activity will help keep people’s cell phones tucked away.
“There are so many more interesting things to look at here,” Khan said, gesturing toward the ocean on a 74° early afternoon.
Khan said The Old Casino is not affiliated with his other businesses across the street. Final menu adjustments are being made this week, though some Shipwrecked favorites, including fish and chips, will appear on both menus.
“The hope is to provide an identity that complements rather than competes [with Shipwrecked],” Khan said.
Inside, visitors are greeted by a full wall of historic photos just beyond the hostess stand and adjacent bar, a feature Khan said is intended to create the feeling of stepping back in time.
The Old Casino holds both collective and personal memories for many people, Khan said.
“People want the old casino back,” he added.
Khan said Falmouth Heights neighbors have been supportive and encouraging throughout the project. Their support, along with the cooperation and efficiency of town officials, gave him confidence to make the commitment and take the risk of revitalizing the property.
“It made sense to give it a try,” Khan said with a wide smile.