Photos By: Lady Cham

Margaret  & Will

It had always been a dream for Margaret Barrett to own a restaurant and today not only is she co/owner of Palm Tree Restaurant located at 1025 N. King Street, Hampton, Virginia, but it is a flourishing business which has her thinking of expansion.

Margaret was born in Kingston, Jamaica on Old Hope Road and moved to Hampton, Virginia in 1976 when her Mother emigrated to the US. Jamaicans were scarce in the area at that time and it was 3 years before she would meet another Jamaican. Growing up in Jamaica, Margaret received great pleasure out of preparing meals for the family. Her Grandmother, Stephlin Garricks, who at 90 years old still owns and runs an old people’s home in Jamaica, always preferred for a family member to cook the meals so she had lots of practice.

It was while visiting Jamaica in 1996 that Margaret made the decision to seriously work on her dream of operating a restaurant. While on vacation as she cooked for her family they berated her for wasting her talents and they encouraged her to go back to America and open up a restaurant. Once she returned to Virginia it took a while to get everything together but in October 2000 Margaret along with her partner Will Baker, opened Palm Tree Restaurant. Will, who Margaret describes as "the love of my life" was born in Mississippi and spent 22 years in the US Army. He learnt to cook Caribbean food whilst living and working in the Bahamas for 7 years, but says that Margaret is the best teacher he ever had.

Margaret and Will wish to thank all their customers for their loyal patronage, they really appreciate it and wish all a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving.