Local Mom Opens Neighborhood Cafe

Craving a delicious dessert, such as a flavorful cake pop, or a strawberry covered in mouth-watering chocolate? Make sure to stop by 314 Washington Ave, the location of a new sweet shoppe that you simply can’t miss out on. The Sweet Life Cafe recently had a soft opening on February 12th through 14th, but it will be open permanently in a matter of days.

The owner, Michelle Garatina, has worked endless days and nights for numerous months, doing everything in her power to perfect this dream of hers, known as the “Sweet Life Cafe”. She has put every aspect of this cafe into deep thought, and could not be more excited to finally reach the opening point.

The idea of owning a shop has resonated with Michelle for a long time. “When I was a little girl, this location used to be Roseann’s Sweet Shop long before it was a tailor, and I grew up in this very space. It was, and still is, a block away from my house, and I would walk here every weekend, since I was only allowed to eat sweets on weekends,” Michelle said.

“I’ve always wanted to have a cafe, and a big part of that is honestly because of how much I love coffee. I’m also a people person, and I’ve always admired the vibes that a cafe has, so that’s really what inspired me to have a cafe in the start. I never actually expected it to happen,” Michelle said.

She faced many challenges throughout the process of opening. “The biggest challenge was definitely learning the requirements of a business I’ve never done before. I’ve never run a cafe, and there’s a lot of running parts and decisions that have to be made. You have to know what you’re doing, and that’s really hard to do when you’ve never done it before. All the while, I have four to five events every weekend, so with everything going on, it’s definitely a big challenge, but I’ve been handling everything pretty well,” Michelle said.

Michelle is looking to open up soon, as she said, “March 14th is Pi Day, and it’s the address to the building, 314, so I’m anticipating that to be the opening date of the shoppe.” She also described the aspects of the cafe itself. “I want it to be a very warm, friendly, and positive place for people to go. I want it to give off a welcoming atmosphere, a place where people should feel comfortable. For the sake of the cafe, there will be a wide variety of coffee and drinks. For the sweet treats part of it, there will be fresh baked stuffed cookies, stuffed croissants, as well as some grab-and-go food items. That’s the cafe part of the shoppe, but there will also be last minute gifts, and sweet treats readily available that were originally reserved for events only, but are now for the public also,” Michelle said.

Her son, Roman Garatina, has noticed how strong his mom’s work ethic truly is. “She's very hard working, she doesn’t stop until something is complete, and basically puts all of her time and effort into her work. She'll stay up really late to get something done because her work load is a lot, and she handles it really well,” he said.

Roman sees how the cafe is different from others, and is looking forward to its opening. “It's the only cafe of its type in Nutley, and my mom puts pride and effort into everything she does. I'm excited and nervous about it opening up, but mostly excited. My friends and I love going just to help around and hang out, it's a nice safe space for everyone. She's been working at getting her cafe to the position where she can freely work on what she wants in her own little creation,” he said.

Roman said, “Friends and family have often helped her come up with new products, so it's always sort of an attachment that everyone has to the products. Personally, one of my favorites is the Munch, specifically the S’more Munch. I also love to just help around and be involved with the shoppe; it’s all really cool.”

Michelle’s best friend, Robyn Baldwin-Villano, has realized how much pressure Michelle has faced, but was able to overcome. “She works full-time for her husband, running his commercial roofing business, while simultaneously getting prepared to open her cafe. She also has a teenage son, so she’s juggling a lot of different things at once,” Baldwin-Villano said.

The cafe has proven itself to be more than just a ‘cafe’. “It’s not just a cafe, it’s a little mixture of everything. I think the ambience of the place definitely stands out the most, it gives off a very cute and quaint vibe. Michelle has truly made something out of nothing, and it’s really inspiring. I’ve been with her since day one, and I’ve learned that if you really want something, you can put your mind to it and succeed,” Baldwin-Villano said.

As Michelle’s opening date is approaching, she said, “When I open, I’m mostly looking forward to the energy. I love when people enjoy what I have to offer, it’s very uplifting, and I love seeing a smile on their faces. It fuels me to not give up, and it makes the long hours worth it, because running a business is not easy.”

Michelle has faced many obstacles and challenges throughout this experience, but could not be more happier with the outcome of the Sweet Life Cafe.

For more information -

Check out her instagram: @thesweetlifecafenj, or visit the cafe on the corner of Washington Ave and Nutley Ave.