TD's Pub in Milford will soon have new owners. Here's what they have planned

MILFORD — TD’s Old Time Pub, a local staple since 2007, will soon be changing hands. Ownership will change, but much will stay the same at the pub, according new co-owner Joan Rich.

Some may recognize her husband, Matt Rich, as a longtime bartender of the 68 Water St. establishment; he is the other future co-owner.

The couple went before the Select Board in Milford on June 13 to transfer licenses, but the timeline is in the hands of the state now — nothing has been finalized but they’re hoping to take over fully within the next couple months.

“The thing that gives us peace is it’s not like we’re trying to reinvent the wheel,” Joan Rich said of taking over the pub. “It’s something that’s been in existence for almost 15 years, and we wholeheartedly are going into this like, ‘If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’”

A year ago, current owner Dana Larson said he was interested in selling the business.

“We went to Dana the next day and we were like, ‘We would like the opportunity to try — and we don’t want to change anything about it,’” Joan Rich said.

There may be some changes on the horizon, she said, such as being open seven days a week and offering food. The license they applied for in Milford also includes live performances.

“We’d like to be able to showcase the local talent, and give them a place to express themselves because there’s just so many gifted people in the area,” Rich said.

Rich said they're going to “walk before we run” in terms of making changes — making sure they know how to run the business as is. They’re planning to launch an online survey to see what customers would like — what types of food and other offerings people would like to see. For Rich, a mother of six, customer service will be key.

Rich said the most difficult part was financing. Banks were hesitant to get involved because of how unpredictable the food and restaurant industry has been during the pandemic. Ultimately they got an angel investor, a patron who was willing to bet on Rich and her husband. Rich declined to share his identity.

Larson will not be staying on in an official capacity — but Rich said he’s been an amazing resource. He will continue to serve in that role as Rich and her husband navigate the ins and outs of taking over.  

Rich registered an LLC called “Turtle Blessed” in order to take over the pub. The name was chosen because the Turtle Tavern, a Main Street Milford pub, was where she met Matt. The "blessed" in the name came because she’s religious.

“I would be nowhere without Him, so I just needed to incorporate Him somewhere in it,” she said. But “TD's will stay TD's forever.”

The pub is called TD’s because those are the first initials of Dana Larson and his fiancée, Tricia, when they opened in 2007; she died of cancer a year later.

“We want to keep the name because it’s so special,” Rich said. “Trish was part of the reason why it even started and I feel like she’s watching over the place and still there in spirit.”