Starting From Scratcher : How does the bartender buy the bar? Easy: A smoke, a soda and a lottery ticket.

When an eatery is publicized to be under new ownership you might expect change to be imminent.

In the case of McGinty’s Sports Bar and Restaurant in Ventura, which was recently acquired by Linda Burke, change will be inspired by the past.

“I want to go back to the roots of this place,” said Burke, who was a bartender at McGinty’s for almost five years before taking over the business.

First opened in 1991 by Gary Erickson, the Irish-themed pub aimed to fill a niche in an area with a dearth of sports bars. Over the years, according to Burke, McGinty’s veered from its Irish theme. Certainly, the ales and other beers ran on tap--and St. Paddy’s Day was cause for annual celebration. But almost all of the Irish fare on the menu was forsaken for sandwiches, burgers and even Mexican food.

A retooled menu now features Guinness beef stew, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and fish ‘n’ chips. Even more traditional foods are in the planning and Burke has instituted a new children’s menu.

After much primping and cleaning, what Burke ultimately envisions for McGinty’s is a simple remodel to thematically separate the bar and the restaurant operations.

“Right now there is nothing that really looks like a restaurant,” she said. “It looks more like a bar. I want to change the area where we send people to do the majority of the dining.”

Burke, 33, is fortunate to be taking control of a long-ailing business at the start of football season. College and professional football telecasts can be a seasonal boon for sports-themed businesses and McGinty’s has long been a popular spot for area fans.

For McGinty’s, though, the problem was maintaining a following after football season ended.

Burke, who has a background in restaurant management, said she is building now for the future. “Football gives us an opportunity to show people what we have, letting people know that we are not just the same old McGinty’s,” she said.

How Burke came to own McGinty’s is a tale that involves a bit of lucky charm.

Upon learning McGinty’s was on the verge of being closed for good, Burke set her sights on becoming a business owner. An attorney friend made some calls and learned it would take an initial sum of $35,000 to take over the business.

Burke had 30 days to build the nest egg from scratch. Two weeks passed and she wasn’t any closer to the amount.

Then one night on a break from her work duties, she bought a pack of cigarettes, a soda and a few lottery tickets at a nearby liquor store. In short, a winning scratcher ticket earned her $40,000, before taxes, and the initial payment was secured.

Burke said her windfall isn’t something she much likes to talk about around McGinty’s:

“Can you imagine if people start saying, ‘Hey, there’s the scratcher lady!’. Everybody else is going to think I have a rash.”

DETAILS

McGinty’s Sports Bar and Restaurant, 1795 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura. Hours: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 658-7390.

Rodney Bosch writes about the restaurant scene in Ventura County and outlying points. He can be reached by calling 653-7572, faxing 653-7576 or e-mailing [email protected].

’ Football gives us an opportunity to show people what we have, letting people know that we are not just the same old McGinty’s.’

LINDA BURKE, McGinty’s Sports Bar and Restaurant