The Town Should Gets Its Facts Straight On Children's Beach Concessions

To the editor: It's extremely concerning that the town recommended demolishing a historic structure without providing accurate information for the discussion. I feel the numbers were misrepresented to frame the discussion and suggest that the location is unsalvageable.

My revenue (as proprietor of The Hungry Minnow) for 2021 ($63,630) was not included in the discussion and they even said that I closed a year early, which is untrue. Additionally, revenue for the 2025 year was not included. If you look at the first three years of both businesses (a reasonable comparison considering Covid and the lack of full numbers for 2025 and 2026) it is evident that there is potential for success in that location depending upon how you define success.

• 2017-2019 Revenue $249,140
• 2022-2024 Revenue $182,897

Without the full picture, a recommendation was made by the town to model Children's Beach after the other concession operated by The Surf LLC, a food truck model. Even more concerning is the recommendation to align the lease, shortening the awarded lease to three years rather than five, with the assumption that The Surf will be granted the bid again and then their two town-awarded leases would expire at the same time. The motion to award this lease to The Surf was, of course, met with the reality from the Finance Committee that this lease MUST have an RFP by the town rather than grandfather the lease to The Surf.

I also might suggest that any discussion of the town concessions should consider that there is not a one-size-fits-all way to remediate the problems each concession faces. Each is dramatically different, and so trying to streamline all of them with one business model is impossible. I have not been able to find the lease of the current operation, but I understand that the hours were changed. During my lease we were required to be open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., so we were more than just a restaurant, we were a support system to families and the community. We policed the park from vandals and did our best to provide a safe space for children. We hosted movie nights and concerts, opened for visitors and worked with Visitors Services on all their special events, ensuring that there was food available for visitors while events were happening. I also employed local teenagers giving them their first jobs at age 14 and teaching them along the way.

I implore the town to remember that the Children's Beach concession is not only historically vital, it is also integral to Nantucket. As its caretaker I was constantly inundated with stories of the fond memories of its various iterations: Mac's Place, The Downyflake, and I am proud to say I hear children and their parents saying the same of The Hungry Minnow. Its value and viability cannot be determined by numbers alone, especially when those numbers are misrepresented.

Thank you,

Rebecca Chapa