STANHOPE BOROUGH, N.J. (Sussex County) — The Stanhope House, a legendary music venue and historic landmark that once hosted blues icons like Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan, has closed its doors, according to a Facebook announcement posted Wednesday.
Effective July 30, 2025, the venue at 45 Main St. ceased operations. All tickets purchased through TicketLeap will be refunded, the post said. The closure follows an earlier effort by owner Jon Klein to sell the property to a developer. The proposed redevelopment plan would have included 40 or more apartments, commercial space, and an underground parking garage, but the Stanhope Borough Council rejected the plan in May 2024.
The Stanhope House has stood since circa 1794, earning its reputation as the “Last Great American Road House.” Over its two-century history, the building served as a stagecoach stop, general store, post office, tavern, hotel, and more—before becoming a nationally known blues venue in the 1970s.
“If walls could talk, the old walls of the Stanhope House would have some serious stories to tell,” reads a passage from the venue’s official website. “This honky tonk is also rumored to be home to an entirely different kind of ‘soul,’” it adds, referencing local tales of a helpful ghost said to haunt the club.
Legends like John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, Albert King, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds once graced its stage. The venue more recently featured acts like KRS-One, Rakim, Ghostface Killah, Samantha Fish, and even comedian Gilbert Gottfried. The club prided itself on offering everything from blues and rock to reggae, punk, and comedy nights, all in an intimate, “family” atmosphere.
The club’s colorful history includes stories of Stevie Ray Vaughan scrubbing dishes after shows and Babe Ruth frequenting the building during Prohibition, leaving behind a baseball bat as a keepsake.
The fate of the historic property remains uncertain.
