{"id":2037,"date":"2018-09-02T13:06:47","date_gmt":"2018-09-02T17:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2037"},"modified":"2018-09-03T10:09:44","modified_gmt":"2018-09-03T14:09:44","slug":"the-palace-commons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2037","title":{"rendered":"The Palace Commons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eastwood\u2019s Anchor<\/em><\/h1>\n

By Jamie Jenson | Photography by Steven J. Pallone<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"IMG_8779\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"IMG_8774\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"IMG_8806\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

When Gia Palermo was growing up in Eastwood, she and her friends would go to the movies at The Palace Theatre all the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone seems to have a story about The Palace Theatre,\u201d Gia said.<\/p>\n

Most of those stories, she mused, include Frances DiBella, the former owner of the theatre who was best known as \u201cthe lady at The Palace.\u201d Frances\u2019 father, Alfred, built the theatre and opened it in the 1920s. Frances took over after Alfred died.<\/p>\n

Gia said Frances, who was a shrewd businesswoman at a time when few females owned and ran their own businesses, would walk through the darkened theatre while movies played and swat her patrons with her flashlight if she saw them with their feet on the seat in front of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe demanded respect for herself and her place,\u201d Gia said.<\/p>\n

Frances did much more than carry on her family\u2019s legacy after her father\u2019s death. She created an institution in the heart of Eastwood, a neighborhood Gia believes is really the center of Syracuse.<\/p>\n

While Gia is no longer a teenager flocking to the theatre with her friends on a Friday night, The Palace is still very much a part of her life.<\/p>\n

As managing director of the theatre since Stephen Skinner purchased the business in September 2016, Gia is at the helm of all things Palace-related.<\/p>\n

Today, the theatre is used as a venue for concerts and other programs. There is also an upstairs kitchen and banquet room, which allows full-service catering to patrons.<\/p>\n

On the lower level, tucked on the righthand side of the historic building, is the third part of the business, The Palace Commons.<\/p>\n

The Mason jar light fixtures and quaint movie-themed ornaments overlooking the counter provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the caf\u00e9\u2019s patrons. Gia said Stephen\u2019s wife, Katrina, helped her decorate the space.<\/p>\n

Brittany Young, the caf\u00e9\u2019s manager, said the Skinners\u2019 family-oriented attitude is something people can sense as soon as they walk through the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want people to feel like it\u2019s home,\u201d Brittany said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just some restaurant where they stop and grab something to eat. We try to get to know everybody and talk to everybody. If they come in with kids, we try to make it as accommodating as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brittany said her favorite part of the job is watching parents come in with their children. She said the parents are always very hesitant at first, warning their children not to touch anything in the caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then I say to them, \u2018Do you want to draw on the wall?\u2019\u201d Brittany said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Gia and Stephen painted the wall with chalkboard paint. It gives children an opportunity to express themselves and parents a chance to relax, Brittany said.<\/p>\n

The children\u2019s drawings aren\u2019t the only pieces of art on the walls.<\/p>\n

The caf\u00e9 also exhibits artwork produced by local artisans. For a certain amount of time \u2014 usually about a month \u2014 locals can display their artistic work in the caf\u00e9. Customers interested in buying artwork displayed can either purchase the art through the caf\u00e9 or work directly with the artist.<\/p>\n

Local musicians are encouraged to bring their CDs in to be played in the caf\u00e9. They\u2019re rewarded with a free entr\u00e9e when they do.<\/p>\n

Gia said it\u2019s important to The Palace to display talents in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were really interested in making this a cultural hub,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Maria Pence is the coffee bar manager\/head barista at the caf\u00e9. The best part of her job\u00a0is the interactions with customers, especially those who come in frequently, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou start building relationships with them,\u201d Maria said. \u201cIt makes the day more fun and you feel more connected to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

When a regular customer walks in, she usually remembers their order. With a full menu, this is pretty impressive.<\/p>\n

The caf\u00e9 offers a variety of espresso drinks, coffee and tea, as well as food options for breakfast and lunch. All the meats they use for their sandwiches are freshly roasted and carved on-site. With sandwich names like \u201cThe Rock Star\u201d (fresh roast beef, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and horseradish mayo) or \u201cThe Emo\u201d (peanut butter, banana and Fluff), eating at the caf\u00e9 is a fun and unique experience.<\/p>\n

The Palace Commons boasts a selection of Hale and Hearty Soups, which typically aren\u2019t found this far north of the company\u2019s home in Brooklyn. The menu also has vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.<\/p>\n

Maria said the staff\u2019s care about the customer experience sets The Palace Commons apart.<\/p>\n

For the Skinners, Gia said, it\u2019s also about preserving a special part of Eastwood\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a neighborhood anchor,\u201d Gia said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s really important to them to keep that alive.\u201d SWM <\/em><\/p>\n

The Palace Commons is located at 2384 James St. in Syracuse. For more information, including hours and menus, visit facebook.com\/palacecommons<\/a>. Customers can also order from the caf\u00e9 on Grubhub.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eastwood\u2019s Anchor By Jamie Jenson | Photography by Steven J. Pallone\u00a0 When Gia Palermo was growing up in Eastwood, she and her friends would go to the movies at The Palace Theatre all the time. \u201cEveryone seems to have a story about The Palace Theatre,\u201d Gia said. Most of those stories, she mused, include Frances…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[676,672,134,262,674,675,673],"class_list":["post-2037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-jamie-jenson","tag-september-2018","tag-steven-j-pallone","tag-syracuse-woman-magazine","tag-the-palace-commons","tag-the-palace-theatre","tag-the-style-edition"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/IMG_8759.jpg?fit=5719%2C3840&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2814,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2814","url_meta":{"origin":2037,"position":0},"title":"SYRACUSE EATS: Oh My Darling!","author":"Staff","date":"February 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Larry Stansbury Photos by Steven J. 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