Villa Europa, the long-standing Augusta restaurant that specializes in European cuisine, is striving to maintain its legacy.
Earlier this year owners listed the Deans Bridge property for sale, brokered by Sherman and Hemstreet. Last week the German-themed eatery launched a GoFundMe campaign, encouraging patrons and followers of its social media to help end its decades-long run “the right way.”
The campaign seeks to raise some $50,000 toward reopening the restaurant and supporting staff for long enough to sell the property. As of the writing of this article, the drive has raised $1,405 in donations.
The page announces that the restaurant has closed “due to financial challenges beyond our control,” but that owners aim to reopen the business, both to continue compensating its employees and to close the current chapter of the restaurant’s legacy “with dignity and gratitude.”
Two years ago, manager Brittany Rose, who organized the fundraiser, told TAP amid rumors at the time that the closing of Villa Europa was imminent, that owners were only seeking a new location. The diner’s food truck, the Villa Wagen, continued operating.
“Villa Europa is our family’s legacy, and we believe it should end when we decide it’s time, not because circumstances forced us to walk away,” reads the GoFundMe page’s description. We want the chance to serve the CSRA once more, to give our employees stability, and to close this chapter with dignity and gratitude.”
The Villa Family also notes that the original goal was to close on a more upbeat note, complete with a scheduled final opening day, and also hopes to reopen the restaurant in the future, and is even planning to release a cookbook. The Villa Wagen, the eatery’s food truck, is still in operation, and will be available in the parking lot Sunday, Aug. 24 from noon to 5 p.m., as well as again the following weekend.
The family of Annaliese Schaffer-Niese has run the bistro once called Pizza Villa since 1974, when she took management and added German dishes to the menu.
Visit the Villa Europa Facebook page for updates.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
