So long, it's been good to know you

Dear La Conner:

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...

It has been two weeks since Nell Thorn landed in the skilled hands of her new ownership, and there are already murmurings of deliciousness...

Two years ago we realized that we needed to offer the good ship Nell for sale.

It took us a year to have the courage to list her and just about another year for her new captain and us to find one another, thanks to Mark Hesch.

Casey and I each made our way to La Conner when we were nineteen years old, brimming with enthusiasm and happiness to be in this beautiful place. Our family raised each other here, this is our home. Our daughters worked side by side with us through the years bringing their unique skills to Nell’s table. Louisa and Madeline from the early years to Natalie (aka Baby Nell) who saw us through many a closing over her 10 years of bartending, including the especially tender Sunday night this June, sprinkled with a quite a few of our favorite locals as well as Nell’s new owners Ted and Cathy sending us off...

We started Nell Thorn in December of 2001 on a shoe string budget, with blessings and loans from family and friends. In 2014 when she needed a new home and landed on the waterfront, once again she needed blessings and loans as well as miracles to be where is she is today . . . from the building vision of Joy-Joy, Dan and Bill, to the endless support of friends and family including Jim and Anne, Rick and Kay, Tom and Patty, Sally and Bill, Sally and John, Aunt Janie and Uncle Fred; and our dear locals who volunteered helping us move, Gary and Gordon!

We are amazed and grateful for the skilled work of all the brilliant contractors, designers, artists who were involved in the tender “wright-ing” of a historic building, including Ray Williams’ traditional cedar blessing upon completion of construction just prior to opening. We also thank Marc Perry of Sysco for spotting us and our shaky re-opening nerves with round the clock humor and know-how.

Thank you La Conner, for taking Nell Thorn and her vision of real food, into your hearts, including us in all your celebrations of love, moving up and out, here and there, and coming home. Thank you for building and embracing community with us; supporting our beautiful farms, radiant service clubs, amazing museums, growing sweet library and all the merchants, from the bustle of our town and port to the small store fronts that constantly and beautifully reinvent themselves each season bringing new intrigue and guests to this village...and our neighbors...thank you too!

Wisdom tradition reminds us that “it takes a village to raise a child”. Thank you La Conner for raising the good ship Nell, for supporting and loving her and all she supported and loved and on and on and on and on.

We are grateful to all our crew over the years, many came, some stayed, some moved on; we have a special place in our hearts to all of you, and then there are those special few who weathered long years of dedication and service; our love and deep gratitude to Jennifer, Michael, Kenny, Will, Toni, Aaron, Holly, Alma, Travis, McKenzie and Madison

Our Lady Nell tells us it is with a clear heart that she welcomes her new Captain and crew in the wake of releasing Casey and I. She is sturdy, brave and grateful, looking forward to her brand new adventure, as are we.

Thank you for holding her and all of us in your tender embrace of release and deep welcoming . . . with every good wish to Ted, Cathy, Albie, James, Nell and her crew.

May all beings be blessed.

Signing off,

Susan and Casey, Natalie, Madeline,

Louisa, Rowan and Baby Kelti