After 25-Year Run, Pi Pizzeria Put Up For Sale By Marleys

After a 25-year run building one of Nantucket's most popular restaurants and pizza spots, Evan and Maria Marley are selling Pi Pizzeria on West Creek Road and preparing to retire.

The Pi Pizzeria property at 11 West Creek Road and the business's staff housing unit at 41.5 Nobadeer Farm Road were listed for sale together this week at $12.5 million.

The Marleys declined to comment, referring all questions to their real estate agent, Courtney Cotter of J. Pepper Frazier Real Estate.

"They've been running it for 20-plus years, so they're looking to retire and to move on to the next chapter of their lives," Cotter told the Current. "As far as the restaurant, they would love to see it go to a buyer who wants to continue Pi and possibly expand it in the future. It's been an island institution for a long time."

Pi Pizzeria was founded in 2001 in the back of a wine-and-cheese shop, the former Fahey & Fromagerie on Pleasant Street. Five years later, in 2006, the Marleys moved the pizzeria to their property on West Creek Road, where it became a full-fledged restaurant serving wood-fired, thin-crust Neapolitan pizza along with classic Italian-American cuisine. It quickly became one of Nantucket's most beloved and popular dining establishments, with lines of people out the door to get a table, and customers having to call hours in advance to claim a coveted takeout order.

The $12.5 million asking price includes the Pi Pizzeria business, the commercial property on West Creek Road, as well as the staff housing property on Nobadeer Farm Road. Cotter said it is being marketed as "The Whole Pi."

"I think all options will be considered, and then they'll decide what's best for them," Cotter said of the Marleys. "I don't think at the moment it's clear-cut. They'd like to see Pi carry on, but I think they'll talk to other people and they'll consider all options. But they would really like to see Pi be carried on."

This will likely be the Marleys' last summer at the helm of Pi Pizzeria, but Cotter said the couple is planning to remain on Nantucket and enjoy the island in retirement.

"They're not relocating, they just want to spend some time on their boat and do things that are not working that many hours in a week," Cotter said. "The business is turnkey, it's profitable, and everybody loves it. So I think it's a good opportunity for the next person who's excited about it."