MARKING A MILESTONE
Revolution Cafe celebrating oneyear anniversary
SCHUYLERVILLE, N.Y.» After a trying first year, one local eatery is celebrating its oneyear anniversary in downtown Schuylerville thanks to perseverance and support from the community.
Revolution Cafe is reaching a milestone this week, marking its first anniversary on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Schuylerville native Cassandra Wilusz opened the business last summer at 31 Ferry St.
While working as an insurance analyst and traveling the country, Wilusz decided to give up her big salary and start a small business in her hometown.
After reading about a marketing executive who threw it all away, jumping off the corporate ladder to move to Hawaii and do yoga on the beach, Wilusz said she was intrigued, fascinated and extremely jealous.
When her cousin shared the news that the village coffee shop was up for sale, Wilusz couldn’t get it out of her head and decided to seize the opportunity.
“I literally hopped on the next day’s red eye contacting the owner to meet,” Wilusz recalled. Almost immediately, she purchased the cafe from the nearby Faith Chapel, which had previously operated the business. “We met in the cover of darkness and I wrote him a check,” she said.
In that same week, while thinking through her new entrepreneurial plans, Wilusz made the decision to buy a food truck as well. Throwing caution to the wind, she said, “Why stop the hustle now with this brilliant idea I concocted?” This food truck would allow the business to be mobile, and feed people off-site whenever Wilusz wanted.
Wilusz gladly walked away from her corporate life on July 5, 2016. Though the road since hasn’t been easy, she doesn’t look back.
Drawing on experience from her younger years working at Spring Street Deli in Saratoga Springs, Wilusz created a business plan to provide good fresh small batch food at an affordable price point.
Within the first few weeks Revolution Cafe was already hit with the local community. “I opened the doors and people flocked and flocked and flocked,” Wilusz said.
A busy lunch spot, some of the most popular menu items are the 1777 grilled chicken and mozzarella sandwich, the Philip Schuyler turkey sandwich, the General Burgoyne roast beef sandwich and the eatery’s burritos.
As the business was building and becoming more established, Wilusz’s father passed away in March in a local house fire. “It took my world down, my being, my sense of purpose - all with one knock,” she recounted. Revolution Cafe was closed for two weeks, during a time that Wilusz called one of the hardest events of her life.
With lots of community support, Revolution Cafe reopened in April.
The next month, on Memorial Day weekend while Wilusz was away camping, she got a call that the cafe had been flooded. A pipe had burst above the cafe, flooding the first floor business.
“At this juncture I felt like the universe might have been either giving me some additional grieving time or telling me to pack it in,” Wilusz said. Nevertheless, the cafe’s interior was rebuilt and Revolution Cafe reopened again in early July. Since then, Wilusz reports that the business has thankfully been busier than ever.
Revolution Cafe recently received its license to serve beer and wine, and the cafe was also lucky enough to host musician Pat Simmons Jr., son of Pat Simmons from the Doobie Brothers, at a special event last month.
Wilusz credits the ability to follow through on her dream with the supportiveness of the community. “Fortunately, Schuylerville is a village like none other,” she said. “The support and strength this community has shown me is nothing short of a miracle.”
Until this past year, “I never understood how amazing this community was.” Wilusz said. “It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Looking ahead, Wilusz is hopeful that the black clouds have lifted. She is excited to be part of the second annual Schuylerville Fall Festival, and having more musical acts perform at Revolution Cafe. She would also like to collaborate with a local craft brewery in the future, and possibly expand the cafe’s hours.
Eventually, Wilusz would like to own a building within the village from which she could operate Revolution Cafe, but she’s taking every day as it comes. “Everyone’s story is unique and everyone has their struggles and I truly believe the universe has a purpose for us,” Wilusz said. “I’m now just sitting back and enjoying that ride while I hustle paninis, work with some of the most amazing small business owners and tour on my weekends in the food truck.”
Despite some setbacks in the last several months, Wilusz said that Revolution Cafe is truly her happy place. “It’s amazing when you can live your dream.” Revolution Cafe is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Delivery is available. More information on Revolution Cafe can be found at revolutioncafe.net or the cafe’s Facebook page. Revolution Cafe can be contacted directly at 518695-3930.