A Sad Farewell from Mi Casita

Contributed Photo/Kristina Concord. Inside Mi Casita.

By Gregg Ford, Owner, Mi Casita

From the little yellow house on Nichols Street to our Spring Street location, I always thought that I would go 25 years and then be out of Mi Casita, either selling it to someone who recognized its worth or passing it on to my sons if they were so inclined.

Instead, the hotel owner and his management team have decided to go in “a different direction” with our space and have terminated our lease with six years remaining.

After much back and forth with lawyers involved, it’s been determined that as of Dec. 31, Mi Casita will be no more.

We’re not leaving the way we expected to, but it’s time to say so long.

There have been so many great memories and milestones along the way from first dates to weddings to graduations, birthdays and anniversaries.

We’ve had couples bring in their newborn babies and in the blink of an eye, celebrate the 21st birthday of those same “babies.”

Our sons grew up in the restaurant and it’s been a joy being able to work side by side with them there. It’s not possible to recount all the great times, and the near disasters, that 24 years of Mi Casita bring, but those moments are forever in our hearts.

There are so many people to thank: for my always loyal guests, it has truly been my honor to have served you; and to the many employees over the years, you’ve been more than just employees, you’ve been my friends, and it’s been my privilege to have served with you in both the front and back of the house.

Finally, a very special thank you to Charles Thomas, without whom there would never have been a Mi Casita, and to Susan and Floyd Cornett who helped us survive the crushing recession of 2008 and enabled us to make the move to Spring Street. I would also like to thank Travis Carroll, our talented, creative and hardworking chef who has stood by us, and stuck with us, over the last 8 ½ years. We couldn’t have made it without you guys.

It breaks my heart that we won’t be able to mark our farewell with our family and all the friends of Mi Casita in a loud, happy and raucous party that would signal the end of nearly a quarter of a century, but such is life in the time of Covid.

It’s hard to thank you all enough and harder still to say goodbye. We will miss your smiling faces.

But just because we’re closing, you won’t get rid of me that easily. Retirement isn’t an option, and I can sit still for only so long, so look for me to pop up somewhere.

We love our island community.

Gregg, Carol, Sam, Joe, and the Mi Casita Family

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