Margolis Family Leaving Corner Table On Federal Street

The Corner Table on Federal Street is owned by ReMain Nantucket, but it has been Greg and Joy Margolis who have been the familiar faces that have forged it into a popular cafe and culinary center over the past seven years.

They have been the heart and soul of what has become a local favorite, and one of the dwindling number of year-round spots in downtown Nantucket.

But on Wednesday morning, the Margolis family announced that it would be stepping away from the Corner Table for personal reasons by the end of the year, and ReMain Nantucket has issued a request for proposals for a new tenant to operate the business moving forward.

In an emotional letter to customers and the community, the Margolis family shared that Joy was diagnosed with cancer in early 2022, and that while her prognosis is good, the ordeal has meant they have been unable to put their full focus on the Corner Table.

"It is hard to put into words how proud we are of The Corner Table and The Nantucket Culinary Center," Greg and Joy Margolis said in their letter. "From the beginning this has been a family business. Our children (and probably many of yours!) have grown up at the corner of Broad and Federal. It is with our family in mind that we are making this difficult decision. In early 2022, as we learned that Joy had cancer and needed to start a regime of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, we were not able to be as available to the business as we would have wanted. Even though Joy's prognosis is good, we realize that in order for The Corner Table and The Nantucket Culinary Center to continue to grow and thrive it needs to do so under new leadership."

The Margolis family said it would take the next week off, but will return to the Corner Table to run the business through the end of the year.

ReMain Nantucket has already issued an RFP for a new operator for the Corner Table, and is seeking "seeking proposals from prospective business owners and operators looking to take over the space in a way that is aligned with the organization’s mission. ReMain Ventures' goal is to find a new business owner to run a cafe and cooking school that continues to contribute to the vitality of downtown Nantucket, encourages people to eat and prepare healthy and local foods and serves as a model for sustainable year-round food industry practices."

Wendy Schmidt's ReMain Ventures (an offshoot of ReMain Nantucket) purchased the three-story building at 22 Federal Street from the town in 2014 for $2.25 million. It was formerly known as "the Mooney building" and was used as municipal office space. After extensive interior renovations, the building was reopened by ReMain as a cafe and culinary center run by Greg and Joy Margolis. It now includes a courtyard patio with a solar installation added this year, along with expansive upper floors that contain additional cafe seating and room for private events and cooking classes.

"We are grateful to Wendy Schmidt and the incredible team at ReMain for trusting us and our vision for their incredible space," Joy and Greg Margolis said. "They believed in us as we created a year-round community space and culinary educational facility. Their support for us over the past seven years has never wavered, and they have been understanding and supportive through this difficult process."