Olive’s Eatery uses its cafe and shops to support families this holiday season

By: Sydney Froelich

Olive's Eatery may look like a regular house from the outside, but inside it's home to a full restaurant and ten stores. Photo by: Sydney Froelich

When you walk into Olive’s Eatery in Baldwinsville for the first time, it feels almost impossible that so much can fit in one little building. 

Downstairs, it is an ultra cozy cafe serving up sandwiches, soups, and comfort food that looks to die for.

Olive's Eatery not only has brunch, but it also has lunch and dinner menus. Photo by: Sydney Froelich

But when you climb the staircase located at the entrance of the space, you suddenly step into a maze of ten small boutiques containing kids’ clothes, jewelry, accessories, and more. Each run by local women and reasonably priced for families. 

A place where you can grab lunch and pick up a winter coat for your child is a kind of concept you rarely see in Syracuse, NY.

Three shops are featured in one hallway. Photo by: Sydney Froelich

Olive’s and its shops

The vision for Olive’s Eatery has always been about warmth. It was initially meant to be a feminine place where women could gather to share a meal in a charming atmosphere. 

Over the years, that idea grew into a one-of-a-kind spot where eating and shopping naturally live under the same roof. 

“It can be a one-stop shop. You can have your food, you can go shopping. It's everything we [women] love doing,” said Caitlin Johnston, owner of Olive’s Eatery store Goldiluxe Kids. 

At Olive’s Eatery, the shops and cafe work together. Johnston said the women who run the boutiques share each other’s posts, promote events, and partner with the restaurant whenever they can. 

“It's kind of like one giant collaboration and a family where we all just help each other succeed.”

Johnston runs Goldiluxe Kids, one of the upstairs shops that opened when she realized how many children’s clothes barely get worn before being tossed or donated. She wanted a space that felt like a boutique but offered the affordability of thrifting. 

Inside Goldilux Kids. Photo by: Sydney Froelich

“Why are we spending so much money on kids' clothes and then getting rid of them?” she questioned. 

Today, her shop sells both new and gently used pieces. The store contains children’s clothing, shoes, and accessories ranging from about $6 to $20. 

Holiday Donation Drive

One of the good things about Olive’s Eatery having both a cafe and shops is that anyone stopping in to eat or browse can also donate to a good cause. 

Throughout the year, Olive’s Eatery consistently hosts fundraising events to support families in Central New York. 

Johnston said, “We love our community more than anything, and we love giving back and helping those who support us.” 

So during this holiday season, Goldiluxe Kids is collecting donations for people who need extra help this time of year, specifically those at the Ronald McDonald House. 

Holiday Donation Drive flyer. Photo taken from oliveseaterybville.com

What started as a small effort has turned into a major drive, and the response from the community has been immediate. Johnston said she emptied the donation bin before leaving for Thanksgiving, and when she came back just a few days later, it was already full again, as well as the table beside it. 

The quick turnaround surprised her, but it also showed just how eager people in Baldwinsville are to help. 

For Johnston, supporting this organization is personal to her. She grew up around the corner from a Ronald McDonald House in Manhattan and remembers watching families come and go. 

“Some days they'd be really happy, and some days they have their whole worlds torn apart,” Johnston remarks. “So since I was a kid, I've been donating to them.”

When she moved to Central New York, she realized the Syracuse location does not receive the same level of support as those in larger cities. That made choosing it for the holiday drive an easy decision. 

The items needed most are the basics that families often run out of quickly, like pantry staples, shelf-stable snacks, cereal, mac and cheese, and warm winter clothing like hats, gloves, and jackets. 

Johnston said even small things make a big difference, including dairy-free coffee creamers and other everyday essentials people do not always think to donate. 

Toys, books, and holiday gifts are also great donations for this time of year, giving parents something to wrap for their children. 

For those who want to help, you still can! The holiday drive runs until December 19, giving anyone who stops in for lunch or a little shopping the chance to drop something in the bin and help a family at the Ronald McDonald House this season.