Tango Cafe prepares for new ownership, rebranding to Marigold Bistro

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

Longtime Tango Cafe owner Judy Colegrove is preparing to hand over the keys to the eatery located in the atrium of the Sandpoint Center at 414 Church St., which has become a local hub for everything from business meetings and organizational events to social gatherings with a core of committed regulars.

Colegrove, who took the reins of Tango Cafe from founders Barney and Carol Ballard almost 15 years ago, will pass the baton to Cassandra Cayson, who many will remember as the proprietor of upscale waterfront restaurant Forty-One South, which closed in the fall of 2021 amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tango Cafe owner Judy Colegrove, left, will hand over the reins to Cassandra Cayson, right, and the cafe will be rebranded Marigold Bistro. Photo courtesy Tango Cafe.

The pandemic also contributed to Colegrove’s decision to move on from Tango Cafe, albeit a few years after the end of the lockdowns and general disruption caused by the virus.

“I had kind of reached a burnout period, then COVID came along and it just kind of added to that — it changed the dining scene altogether,” Colegrove told the Reader. “I came back from the burnout a little bit; but, on the other hand, it was just a whole other animal to deal with. And I thought, ‘The market is looking pretty good, I’m going to put it up for sale and see what happens.’”

Colegrove said there were a few interested parties, but none felt like the right fit — until she spoke with Cayson.

“Cassandra and I have been friends since she came to town [in 2010]. I think we started pretty close to the same time. We’ve just stayed friends and always asked each other how it’s going in the business,” she said. “I happened to be talking to Cassandra one day and she said, ‘Are you still thinking about selling?’ and I said, ‘Are you thinking about buying?’ It was almost like a miracle.”

Colegrove’s last day at the cafe will be Thursday, Oct. 31, and Cayson will take over Friday, Nov. 1.

“I’m very excited. Judy and the team here have been great,” Cayson said. “We’re already working with them and learning our systems, so it can be a really smooth transition.”

There will be a few changes, however, including a rebranding to the Marigold Bistro. 

“We wanted something that wouldn’t necessarily define a style of food or level of service, so we could handle a broad spectrum of events, and I found out a couple of interesting facts about marigolds,” she said. “They’re considered ‘companion flowers,’ they’re usually planted with tomatoes and potatoes and they protect the plants.”

Cayson takes that as a metaphor for the community connection role that the space has played for so many people over so many years.

“My mom’s name was also Mary, so it just felt right,” she said, adding that the marigold is the symbolic flower of Día de los Muertos (the “Day of the Dead”), which takes place on Nov. 1.

Since the closure of Forty-One South, Cayson has run a catering business that she’ll continue separate from the Marigold Bistro. Meanwhile, the bistro will again be able to lease out the adjacent conference space in the Sandpoint Center for events and meetings, including on weeknights and Saturdays — something Colegrove hadn’t been able to do during the pandemic.

For Colegrove, the transition marks a turning point after 25 years of working in kitchens — dating back to her first employment with the Ballards when they owned the former-Beach House (better known today as the site of Trinity at City Beach). 

She stayed on at the Beach House under the subsequent owners, then worked again for the Ballards at Tango before taking over from them on Jan. 1, 2010.

“Back in the day, Carol said, ‘I think you could do this, I think you can run it.’ I wasn’t so sure, but just having the customer base and the great people to work with made it happen,”  Colegrove said.

Speaking of those loyal customers, she said it has been “a real joy to cook for them over the years and get to know them and get to know their families. You get to be a part of a family in a way.”

Colegrove isn’t quite sure what’s next, but it’ll be something “completely different” from working in a kitchen.

“I don’t have a plan right at the moment. I’m probably going to be able to take a short time off and dive into something new,” she said. “Maybe something outdoors — a different pace.”

While Colegrove is “still kind of in shock that it’s actually happening,” she has “100% trust in letting that go to someone like [Cayson], versus someone who’s just new to town and doesn’t know the ins and outs of it.” 

Ultimately, “I feel really lucky to have been able to come in and carry this on for as long as I have,” she added.