Last call for coffee and art on Federal Street

For 14 years, the Federal Street Gallery & Espresso Bar in Milton has been the place where art enthusiasts could browse museum-quality works, locals could catch up on politics and a writer could pen the next novel.

But the time has come for owners Gary and Gail Merz to pass the torch.

On the market for several years, the Federal Street storefront has been sold, and Lewes residents Gary and Gail Merz don’t yet know what the future holds for the historical building.

“I grew up in the Bob Dylan generation, when people came in and played guitar and expressed their feelings in music,” Gary Merz said. “This is the kind of place that people got together – small-town USA – and they talked politics. If you don't talk to people, you don't get things done. And we watched it grow.”

From the first days when a few people trickled in for a cup of coffee, to more than a decade later when customers and staff would worry if a neighbor didn’t show up at the usual time, the Federal Street Gallery & Espresso Bar has become a vital part of Milton's identity, said Mayor Ted Kanakos.

“This has been the core, basically, for almost 15 years,” he said. “It's been a lot of fun, and I think the sadness is that we don't know what the next owner is going to do. But there's nothing more comfortable than coming in here.”

The coffee shop and gallery has hosted community group meetings, political parties, fundraisers, poetry nights, art classes and more, as well as displayed more than $1.5 million worth of artwork from renowned artists such as Edward Loper, Charles Colombo, Abraxas Hudson and M.C. Escher.

“This has been one of the most significant galleries in the state,” Gary Merz said. “I come in in the evening and just sit here and look at the art we have. It's just beautiful.”

Gary and Gail Merz said settlement on the sale is underway, but were they not at liberty to provide the name of the buyer.

“If it's going to continue as a coffee shop, it won't be right away,” Gail Merz said. “All we know is we have to sell everything.”

Through Monday, Aug. 15, everything in the store – including café equipment and furniture – will be on sale. After Aug. 15, people can still make purchases or see the art one last time by appointment only through the end of the month. Gary Merz said many of the art pieces have been marked down significantly, but those that do not sell will be returned to their owners.

After recently retiring from 39 years of teaching, Gail Merz said she will enjoy some time off before jumping into volunteer work. Gary plans to continue working in the art world as a custom framer and dabbling with different projects, including documentaries, while their son, John, pursues a doctorate in occupational therapy.

It may take a while for Gary and Gail Merz to adjust to a new schedule that doesn't require them to swing by the Federal Street storefront every morning and night, but they say the hardest part is saying goodby to the people in town.

“I'm going to miss it terribly,” Gail Merz added.

“The loyalty of the people who have been coming here is incredible,” Gary Merz said. “They've taught me more than I could ever teach them. It's been a wonderful experience.”