This summer Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs will mark its 60th year in business. For co-owner Doug Abdelnour it will be an uncertain anniversary.
This summer Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs will mark its 60th year in business.
The iconic Island eatery on the harbor has fed generations of Islanders and visitors and is a favorite of the Obama family.
Mr. Abdelnour is moving ahead with plans to open Nancy’s and Nomans.
Mr. Abdelnour is moving ahead with plans to open Nancy’s and Nomans.
Co-owner Doug Abdelnour, also co-owner of Nomans and 20x9 (which is headed to a new location), started busing tables at Nancy’s when he was 10 years old. Now 43, his 33 years in the business make him a grizzled veteran of the Vineyard restaurant community.
Despite a worldwide pandemic and an economy in freefall, he’s moving ahead with plans to open Nancy’s and Nomans.
“I’m in a lucky spot because I already do a lot of takeout,” Mr. Abdelnour said in a phone interview this week. “At Nomans we’ll have online ordering from the website or the Toast app. We’re going to set up racks inside the restaurant where you can grab your food that will have your name on it. We’re prepared to regulate how many people will be allowed in the building at one time. We’ll have designated parking spots where you tell us what car you have, when you pull up, you pop your trunk and we put the food in your car for you. We have the opportunity to make Nomans a really solid takeout place that’s really safe because there’s tons of space outside and inside the building.”
Nancy’s will also have online ordering. The menu will be a combination of offerings from the upstairs restaurant and the snack bar. It will have a generous offering of Middle Eastern food, like it did when his grandfather, an emigre from Lebanon, opened the restaurant in 1960.
Doug Abdelnour, owner of Nancy’s Restaurant, 20byNine and Nomans.
Doug Abdelnour, owner of Nancy’s Restaurant, 20byNine and Nomans.
“Our Middle Eastern food has always been popular with Islanders, so it’ll have a big presence on our menu,” Mr. Abdelnour said. “Hopefully you’ll be able to come to the snack bar window and pick up your food. It would be great if people could come to the window and order it too, but at this point we don’t know. We’ve got a six-person management crew at Nancy’s and we’ve been meeting and going through every possible scenario. If it’s just takeout, how do we do it? How many staff members is it going to take?”
Restricted outdoor seating, now allowed in some states, remains a moving target. Even if limited seating is eventually allowed on the Vineyard, Mr. Abdelnour thinks it may not be economically viable. “Some states are allowing 25 per cent capacity, the highest I’ve heard is 40 per cent capacity,” he said. “At Nancy’s and Nomans, it’s very hard to make a profit every year with 100 per cent occupancy. Right now we’re guessing at what the space requirements will be. We’ve talked about having plexiglass between tables on the patio and at the snack bar window. We could literally spend ten grand on plexiglass without knowing if it’s required or not. And it might be ridiculous once you put it up. If just masks are required, what kind of masks are acceptable? Is a bandana okay? We don’t know if we should be sourcing [N-95] masks. There’s so much up in the air that it’s truly impossible to plan.”
Late last month a 17-member reopening advisory board was created by the Baker administration to provide a strategy for restarting the state economy. The board consists of business owners, public health officials and municipal leaders and it will make its recommendations to Governor Baker on May 18.
Mr. Abdelnour advocates the creation of a similar advisory board on the Island. He thinks it could include representatives from the hospital, health agents, public officials from each town, business owners, Steamship Authority and others.
“I agree that public health is top priority. I just want us all to be on the same page and sharing information equally,” he said. “Right now there’s a lot of mixed messages and you don’t know what to believe. The health agents have to do the contact tracing for each case of Covid-19 and that’s a lot of work. It seems like an advisory board working on a set of Islandwide regulations, with the health agents’ input, could expedite the process. I think the health agents will find that restaurants will be very happy to work with them.”
This summer Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs will mark its 60th year.
This summer Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs will mark its 60th year.
Nantucket recently created a draft reopening plan for restaurants that allows for two seatings for breakfast, lunch and dinner at 40 per cent capacity, on a reservation-only basis. Dinner seatings would be at 6:30 and 8:30 with an hour maximum dining time.
But in Mr. Abdelnour’s view, it’s not a workable plan.
“The theory is you’d be allowed to clean the dining room between the two seatings. That might sound reasonable to a health agent but there’s no way you can make that work in reality,” he said. “You can’t have a server help all those people at one time and your kitchen couldn’t handle it either. Nobody is set up for it, unless you’re a banquet hall.”
He said the plan is also questionable from a public health standpoint. “What if you have 200 people waiting outside Nancy’s at 6:30 at night and then those 200 people leave and pass by 200 people waiting for the 8:30 group?” he said.
“This is why it’s important that we’re all involved when regulations are put together. We need business people helping make the policies. We might have a different idea that will work for both sides, and might help keep more people in business.”
Comments
We hope we’ll be able to
Bill WisconsinWe hope we’ll be able to vacation on the Vineyard in September, and look forward to eating again at Nancy’s. It’s one of our two favorite dining spots on the island!
Know Doug Jr. long time.
Marty Nadler Margate FLKnow Doug Jr. long time. Proud
of him. Met his Dad in 1966 in
OB. He'd be proud as well. Hopefully I will see you and
Joe in July.
Hey Marty...don’t forget to
John &Jan WTHey Marty...don’t forget to bring your McDonalds super sized soda cup ! We’ve missed your spark of life !
Those were 'Happy Days' and
Paul Condlin EdgartownThose were 'Happy Days' and fun times when larger than life personalities like Doug Sr. and Marty roamed the island together. Great memories.
Get your order as take out
Tom VHGet your order as take out and find a beautiful spot to sit and enjoy
There is no shortage of
Vivian H New JerseyThere is no shortage of beautiful spots!
Wishing you all the best. I
Elaine DePaola Naples, FlWishing you all the best. I know you are working hard at a safe solution. Stay safe my friend it will all work out.
Love and prayers for your success!
"Nancy’s will also have
Bulkington Edgartown"Nancy’s will also have online ordering." You don't known how happy I am to hear this. Honestly getting hungry just thinking about it!
You should just offer Nancy’s
Nancy’s Fan For Life OBYou should just offer Nancy’s food at Nomans. Nomans is the perfect location for to-go orders and there is nothing like Nancy’s food! Mediterranean platter kills it every time. Why not ensure that the restaurant with a 60 year following and fan base can easily get their favorites?? Nomans food hasn’t won me over just yet.
Following the virus situation
Rob Stewart LouisianaFollowing the virus situation ? We decided to Cancell our reservation this summer ? Hope you will be in operation soon. Good luck.
Please allow seating! We need
MegPlease allow seating! We need cocktails to look forward to! Higher prices than normal are worth the experience.
Should really EMBRACE the
Jonathan EdgartownShould really EMBRACE the middle eastern food and expand those offerings. Would love to see a Lebanese menu with all the traditional dishes somewhere on the Island. Its the healthiest diet in the world. AND, this business owner is thinking about a path forward while everyone else is saying "cancelled". We need more people to think as he does. I will buy his products just to support his efforts.
I have a picture eating soft
G Daly Green Lane, PAI have a picture eating soft ice cream at the harbor... myself and my brothers got from Nancy's 1960's ish...
Good luck to you moving forward in this difficult time...
gdd.
Harborside timeshare owner.
Nancy Uhlman MassachusettsHarborside timeshare owner. Still hopeful to visit MV. Thank you for your article.
Our family will certainly be
elizabethOur family will certainly be supporting local businesses stay open in a manner that supports them, the community and navigates operating under the new normal. Good luck, and can't wait to be be back on the harbor sipping cocktails and eating great food.
Glad to read this. Noman’s
T Bone Oak BluffsGlad to read this. Noman’s is ideally suited for curbside pick up, and their menu + some items added from Nancy’s will be an awesome alternative.
What a thoughtful interview!
Susan Bucks County, PennsylvaniaWhat a thoughtful interview! Reopening is specific to every type of business, and Mr. Abdelnour addresses that very well. His idea of an advisory board is particularly on point. A more cohesive set of protocols would be easier for both owners and customers; right now, most restaurants providing takeaway have differing ones.
Our first stops every year are Nancy's and Bunch of Grapes. Can't wait. Sending good thoughts and best wishes to everyone on MV. Your island is loved and respected by the majority of your visitors.
Support these great local
EM Edgartown, MASupport these great local businesses and buy a gift card now! Fantastic program from MV Bank:
https://lift.mvbank.com/
I’m a summer time renter for
rob the roofer New JerseyI’m a summer time renter for the last 25 years. I’ve met with and spoke to Doug several different times during my annual vacationing on the island. There was a time maybe 20 years ago where I had a difference (Not a big problem at all) with a staff person at Nancy’s. The situation was brought to Doug’s attention was solved and I believe all were satisfied. But what Doug did was something I thought was up and above what had to be done. He came out from his office went behind the bar and made my Mother , Wife and myself and Dirty Banana Drink. My point is not of the drinks that were given it is solely on the thoughtful gesture to make a patron comfortable. It was a gesture that has kept me coming back multiple times each and every September with my family. And has made my opinion of best places to dine on the Island an easy one if asked for And always starts with Nancy’s, Nomans or 20bynine. I would love to make 26 years in a row this year but at this time wait to see what the protocol will be for September vacationers like myself and family. But look forward to dining wether it be take out , dine in or what ever Plan Doug comes up with because he has a loyal customer who will never forget the extra time spent just to make a customer comfortable.
Wishing Nancy’s, Doug, and
Alexandra Broadford Whitman, MaWishing Nancy’s, Doug, and all local and island small business the best this season and as places begin to open. There may not be clear answers yet but I’m sure all efforts will be made for all! Nothing but the best at Nancy’s!
The truth is unavoidable:
Mr. B ChilmarkThe truth is unavoidable: this town, to a greater degree than any of the others on the island, depends on for its businesses' success on foot traffic and lots of it. Planning to have fewer people means that you will have a commercial failure. Mr. Albednour states this clearly: "At Nancy’s and Nomans, it’s very hard to make a profit every year with 100 per-cent occupancy." He is hardly alone in this. If commercial ventures cannot pack the people in, cheek-by-jowl, they will not make enough money. The boats must bring thousands of day-trippers each day and thousands more on the weekends. A sensible business plan begins with the worst-case scenario: suppose they cancel every meaningful, crowd-clustering event on MV for the summer? Wait. They did that. So, now what's my plan for a 75% reduction in day-tripper foot traffic? And take it from there. Frankly, for some, it may make sense not to open at all, even at a 25% reduction.
Well for the doom and
bs OBWell for the doom and gloomers like you I suggest you stay in Chilmark. You'll probably miss out on a fantastic summer experience that will be a throw back to the 60's and 70's when businesses still thrived without the crowds. Bookings for June are through the roof which has been unheard of in recent years. The kids are out of school throughout the Northeast and mom and dad can't wait to get away! If you're sick or elderly please quarantine. The rest of us are ready to carry on with our lives.
Martha’s Vineyard has been
Islander Martha’s VineyardMartha’s Vineyard has been overwhelmed with many more tourists and visitors over the last decade than ever before — how did all these businesses survive on so less business back then? It is probably not an exaggeration to say that today the Island received 25-40% more tourism than it did 25 years ago. I have never been able to solve the mystery, especially when so many demand the continuation of a never ending expansion of the tourism industry. Exactly how did everyone get by? Thank you for your answers and please provide your credentials and not just your opinions. So many complaints.
No restaurant, and especially
Mac Middlesex County MANo restaurant, and especially one with the volume of business of Nancy's will survive running at 50% or less capacity. Social distancing, face coverings for all, plexiglass barriers. Most persons would rather eat in their car or not go at all. At this point the pandemic has gone from a medical issue to an excuse to divide for political gain. A close relative works in a hospital and doctors are frustrated and furious about how misinformation about the virus is being reported.
Yes one of our first stops is
MRT Nashville TnYes one of our first stops is Nancy’s hoping everything works out for everyone, restaurants, business owners and vacationers. Safety is of priority. Good luck
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