24-03-2025
How this Holyoke small business was impacted by St. Patrick's Parade
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Parade weekend brought thousands of people to the city of Holyoke.
Camellia's, a cafe in the downtown area, faced many ups and downs throughout the celebrations. The owner opened her business a year ago. Some of the challenges she faced this weekend included road closures and no parking, which made it hard for people to visit her cafe on Friday and Saturday.
However, Camellia's is hard to miss as it's the only pink building in the downtown area, easily attracting those who walk by. 'Sunday morning was busier for us because people were out and about. They came in to have breakfast and then went out to the parade,' owner Cristina Gonzales told 22News.
PHOTOS: Views from 72nd annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade
Some of the local favorites that they ordered this past weekend included Camellia's cheesecake strawberry french toast, Guatemalan coffee, or chicken and waffles.
Cristina acknowledges that being a small business owner comes with many challenges as she was the only one working in the kitchen on Monday. She hopes people will continue to come out to Holyoke beyond the parade and support small businesses. Camellia's is located at 116 High Street in Holyoke and is open daily until 3 p.m.
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