New owner brings different outlook to Juliet's

Jasmine Brown Guest Writer Sarah Goetz Guest Writer

The intricately carved façade of Juliet’s Café isn’t exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant-cum-pool hall. But there it is, hinting at grander times, when Juliet’s was actually the kind of curtained movie theatre where women wore gowns and men put on their tuxes.

The café, located on the corner of Collegeview and Raymond Avenues, has been a restaurant for about 15 years. Before that time, it was a movie theater. Despite the building’s history and its proximity to campus, it has not caught on as a hot spot where students can relax and unwind. However, with a new lease and under new ownership, things at Juliet’s Café are taking a turn.

The recent construction and development along Raymond Avenue have led many to question the fates of some of the businesses that operate just outside the College’s gates, including Juliet’s. Last year the College conducted an opinion poll in an attempt to gauge students’ interest in reverting the café back into a theater.

Vassar owns the Juliet’s building and several others along Raymond but leases them to various businesses. The lease for Juliet’s was renewed this past December for three more years; when that lease expires, the café’s future will be re-evaluated. In addition to the lease renewal, Juliet’s ownership has recently changed hands. In January, Sofia Galazka, the long-time manager of the restaurant, became the new owner. Galazka is excited about her new role, and plans to make some positive changes to ensure the longevity of the establishment.

“I want to try to do something different for the younger generation,” she said. She has already arranged to have wireless Internet installed, which should give the space a more authentic café feel. Furthermore, she plans to offer live music on Friday nights, as well as live comedy shows and a college night every Thursday. She has also expressed interest in making the space more aesthetically pleasing to her clientele.

But Galazka won’t stray too far from what makes Juliet’s unique. The café will continue to offer billiards and brick-oven style pizza, the staples of the establishment.

Though Galazka is motivated to improve her café, the short-term lease offered to her by the College has prevented her from implementing her ideas for renovation. “Before I invest, I must be sure that I will be staying here,” she said. Galazka wants reassurance that she will have time to earn a return on her investment, and hopes that she will be granted a longer term when the lease goes up.

As the renovations outside the campus continue, hopefully Juliet’s Café will find its niche in the Arlington-Vassar community. Said Galazka, “Anything going on outside the building—that’s [the College’s] business; everything inside the building, it is mine.”