The phone is ringing at Nectar’s nightclub near the airport with requests to book shows for the coming summer, but the owners say before they can commit to scheduling musical acts, they need to be able to buy the place.

And they are hoping to do just that.

While no deal has been signed and details such as possible sale price remain firmly under wraps, in an interview with the Gazette last week three of the four owners of Nectar’s, who are based in Burlington, Vt., spoke about their hoped-for plans, which include a business partnership with another Vermont-based company that makes gourmet pizzas.

“We’ve cracked the code [of how to make a business viable on the Vineyard],” owner Christopher Walsh declared cheerfully. Mr. Walsh said the current business plan calls for Flatbread to operate a family-style pizza restaurant from lunchtime until early evening, with Nectar’s taking over at around 8 p.m. with live music until closing time.

Mr. Walsh said ironically Flatbread had looked at the property last year before Nectar’s came in, but decided to walk away for other business reasons. And as the Nectar’s owners puzzled over their own business plan, looking for a way to generate some income during daytime hours, they thought again about Flatbread’s previous interest.

“This is a match made in heaven,” said Mr. Walsh. “We kind of spoke their language right away.” The two companies share the same community-oriented business approach: Flatbread as a family-friendly restaurant featuring homemade pizzas baked in a clay beehive oven, and Nectar’s as a live music venue that fosters local musical talent. Both companies try to maximize their community involvement by supporting fund-raisers and charitable events.

Flatbread owner John Meeham confirmed the potential partnership this week. “We saw this as an opportunity for both of us to have the space for 100 per cent of the time that we needed it,” he said.

Formerly Outerland and before that the Hot Tin Roof, the Vineyard’s only nightclub had fallen on hard times and closed under the previous ownership of Barry and Mona Rosenthal. Mr. Walsh and his partners Noel Donnellan, Peter Picard and Jason Gelrud, whose successful music club in Burlington among other things helped make the band Phish famous, leased the nightclub last summer for one season as a trial. The lease ran out at the end of the year, and the partners have an option to buy. They said last week that they are in the final stages of preparing an offer to purchase, and that they are ready to make a long-term commitment to building a business on the Vineyard. “Vermont and the Vineyard: there are many similarities, including creative people and a love of good music,” Mr. Walsh said. “One thing we learned about people on the Vineyard last summer — they love to dance,” he added.

But this is where the story becomes complicated.

Mr. Walsh and his partners also have a right of first refusal in the event of a competing offer; they confirmed that there is a competing offer although they are unable to discuss it under the terms of a confidentiality clause.

Arthur Rosenthal, Barry’s brother and co-owner of the building, confirmed yesterday that he is in negotiations to possibly sell the building but said he could not comment further.

Meanwhile, an unusual liquor license swap in downtown Edgartown late last year may or may not be connected to the possible sale of the nightclub for conversion to a liquor store.

The license swap took place between Great Harbor Gourmet and Spirits, a main street establishment owned by Benjamin Hall Jr., and Town Provision Company on Mayhew Lane, owned by Brion McGroarty. Mr. McGroarty holds a seasonal license for liquor sales while Mr. Hall holds a year-round license.

On Nov. 30 the Edgartown selectmen allowed the two businessmen to swap their licenses. Subsequently Great Harbor closed for the winter, posting a sign on the door directing customers to Town Provision around the corner.

But the license swap was subject to approval by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC), and this week ABCC executive director Ralph Sacramone said the swap has not been approved. Mr. Sacramone said the application was returned to the selectmen with the instruction that no action be taken on the exchange due to a mistake in the way it was advertised in the newspaper. Apparently the advertisement did not include the information that the location was changing as well as the holder of the license.

As a result the year-round license still belongs to Great Harbor, which is now closed, and under the terms of its seasonal license, Town Provision must also close after today.

Mr. Sacramone said the ABCC allows Edgartown to have three annual liquor licenses to sell all alcohol for off-premise consumption. The licenses are currently held by Al’s Package Store, Your Market and Great Harbor.

Howard Miller, an Edgartown attorney who represents Mr. Hall, admitted that it all adds up to a good deal of confusion.

“Great Harbor closed because of the fact that everyone understood, or thought, that Town Provision would be taking its place, so to speak,” he said.

But Mr. Miller denied reports that Mr. Hall may be planning to buy the airport nightclub; he said he thought that was Mr. McGroarty. “That’s my understanding, Brion is interested in doing that,” said Mr. Miller, who also said he is not representing Mr. McGroarty on the matter.

Reached this week by telephone, Mr. McGroarty declined comment. “I don’t have anything to say about that,” he said.

He did comment on the attempted liquor license swap. “I needed the job,” he said, explaining why he wanted to keep his store open year-round. “We were hoping it would be a simple swap, but it hasn’t turned out that way yet,” he added. He said he will close his doors today, but hopes to reopen at a later date, pending another application to the ABCC.

All complications aside, the Nectar’s owners are maintaining an optimistic outlook. “We’re really working hard on Plan A,” Mr. Walsh said. “Plan B is we won’t be here next summer.”