06/14/2026
It is with a heavy heart that we at Winesett House, share the passing of one of our owners, Lars Vinjerud II.
I know this news may not resonate with many people here in Punta Gorda the way it does for those who knew him personally, but it has affected me in a way I was not prepared for. If you never had the opportunity to meet him, my heart goes out to you as well.
While Lars was best known in New Bedford, Massachusetts, his influence extended far beyond the maritime shores of the South Coast. Although I have never been there myself, it was easy to see how widely respected and admired he was. Through this business, I met countless people from all over who knew him and spoke highly of him.
For the past few days, I have been trying to find the right words to express how much he meant to me and how much he did for me, but I simply can't seem to put it into words. Most people will never fully know the impact he had because so much of what he did was done quietly, away from the spotlight.
Lars was a big man in every sense of the word. Big in stature, big in presence, big in heart, and big in smile. From the moment we met, he welcomed me into his family and did the same for my staff.
Although he wasn't physically at the restaurant very often, we spent a great deal of time talking on the phone. Whenever he did visit, I was fascinated by his life experiences, his perspective, and his remarkable ability to think outside the box.
He had a voice that could command a room, yet he carried a calm confidence that reassured me that everything would be fine. He always seemed to know what was coming next, because he had likely been there before. It was as though he knew the answer but wanted me to discover it for myself. He never called to tell me what to do; he called to discuss what we could do.
That same care extended to everyone connected to him. His wife made numerous trips down with supplies to help our staff and their families prepare for and recover from storms. Members of his team regularly checked in on us, despite having demanding responsibilities of their own while managing companies far larger than a small-town restaurant hundreds of miles away.
Everyone I met through Lars genuinely seemed to enjoy working for him and being part of the family he created. He had a personality that reminded me so much of many of my closest friends. He was kind, approachable, and personable, but he was also the type of person who would tell you to shut up and let him finish talking. He didn't care what outsiders thought, but truly cared about every single person there inside his circle.
He was relaxed and calm, yet never afraid to stand his ground and let people know exactly who he was. I admired that about him, and I think it's one of the reasons we got along so well. We often disagreed because we both stood firmly behind our convictions, but those disagreements were always accompanied by laughter and mutual respect. That's what made our partnership so special.
In fact, it was Lars's idea to call this place Winesett House, despite my many attempts to include his presence in the title and in the story we wanted to tell. Instead, he stepped back, offered unwavering support, and gave me the opportunity to tell my own story.
My hope is that one day the ripple I create will become a wave strong enough to touch as many lives as he did and leave an impact that endures as his has.
I truly believed I would have much more time to learn from him, and I only wish I had met him years earlier.
As we continue navigating the waters ahead, I hope we make him proud. I hope he continues to guide us, just as he always has.
You will be deeply missed, Lars, but never forgotten. You will always have a seat at our table here in the house you helped build.
Thank you for everything.
FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS!
Travis Winesett
