The Willow Glen Resident

Photo Illustration by Robert Scheer

New Year's Resolution: San Jose resident Tamar Teifeld plans to quit smoking on Jan. 1, just in time for a new California law which outlaws smoking in all bars, clubs and taverns.

Is Lincoln Avenue missing out on New Year's revelry?

Residents say they'd party locally if they had someplace to go

By Michelle Ku

Except for a few diehard locals, most Willow Glen residents will find their New Year's Eve fun away from Lincoln Avenue this Dec. 31--and why shouldn't they? The options for staying local to ring in 1998 are limited: Just a handful of bars have planned special to-dos, and the rest of Lincoln Avenue will close down early. And many residents say they don't necessarily like it that way.

"I wish there was a big New Year's celebration here," said Charlene Mello, a Minnesota Avenue resident who will be celebrating New Year's at home. "A street party like they hold for Founders Day--it would help the restaurants and would be a lot of fun. I don't think the cold would be a detriment, and people won't have to spend a lot of money."

Understandably, retail stores will close early, said Demetri Rizos, manager of the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association. And restaurants will also follow suit. "We don't have anything open late at night," Rizos said. "We don't have a nightclub or any entertainment places. And most of the restaurants close early."

It'll be business as usual at the Goosetown Caffe--with a few added touches for New Year's Eve. Owner Gary Rovai said he's decided to add special items to the menu, including a sampler of Goosetown's appetizers and a four-course dinner.

In addition to trying to get a musical group to play in the lounge for the evening, Rovai is upping food service hours. Food will be served until 11 p.m. instead of the normal 9 p.m. As usual, the cocktail lounge will be open until 2 a.m.--one of the few places on the Avenue with a permit to stay open after midnight.

Fran Crozier, the owner of Sharky's, who recently found out she didn't have the proper permits to operate after midnight, plans to stay open anyway.

"I already got the application from the Planning Department," Crozier said. "I've talked to a bunch of people annd we are going to be open New Year's."

Willow Glen Billiards and Brew would have provided a local place to go if it had obtained permission from the city of San Jose last month to stay open past midnight. Optimistic about receiving the needed permission, the owners had planned to hold a special New Year's Eve celebration. But with the recent developments, the owners decided to close on New Year's Eve, like the majority of the Avenue.

"Billiards and Brew would have been a hit," Rizos said.

Though most restaurants don't have anything special planned, Rizos said they will likely do good business on New Year's Eve.

"The restaurants that are open will have very busy nights. At Bill's Cafe, it's the busiest night of the year."

Due to the lack of public celebrations in Willow Glen, many residents celebrate New Year's outside the area.

Nick Klein, a Richards Avenue resident, hasn't planned what he will be doing on New Year's Eve. He says he won't decide until two or three days before the night, but he'll probably go to a pool place or a coffee shop.

"Most of the people in the area go to other places, out of town, for New Year's," Klein said.

Sarah Delgadollo, a Settle Avenue resident, traditionally spends New Year's out of town. She goes to Sacramento for the parties.

"I'm usually not here [for New Year's]," Delgadollo said. "It's more fun to go out of the town. But I'd stay here if there was something going on around here."

Delgadollo said she has stayed in the area in the past. And on those occasions, there haven't been any celebrations in Willow Glen, so she headed to Great America to watch the fireworks.

Rizos said he would like to see Willow Glen have a public New Year's Eve celebration that residents could walk to and from in the future. There is a possibility of a street dance on New Year's Eve if there's enough support and sponsorship for it, he said. "I wish that someday we could have a place to go to in Willow Glen," he added. "I'm hoping that someday we're going to have a lot more excitement on the Avenue on New Year's."

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