Downtown Marysville celebrated the addition of yet another new business on Thursday with a ribbon cutting for Paloma’s Cantina Lounge. Having opened on April 11, Paloma’s took the place of the Cigar Box, a former bar that shut its doors in November 2023 after losing its liquor license. Paloma’s owners Laura Roa and Jose “Tutti” Vasquez saw this as their opportunity to pursue their dream of owning a business.
“We always thought it would be pretty cool to own a bar, and here we are. We’re doing it,” Roa said. The married couple were given the opportunity to transfer the Cigar Box’s liquor license and renovate the space.
Much of the building’s original charm was maintained, but Roa and Vasquez added new paint to the interior and a large Paloma’s logo. “This beautiful location formerly known as the Cigar Box has been given a slight face lift while still keeping its original charm and character. When owners Laura and Jose saw that the building had become available, they decided to take a leap of faith,” said Rhonda Logar, chamber ambassador for the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce.
Paloma’s lives up to its name by centering its drink menu on paloma cocktails: a tequila-based drink typically served with grapefruit juice. The lounge also serves beer and wine as well as non-alcoholic beverages. However, Roa and Vasquez want to make Paloma’s a community-oriented venue, insisting that “it’s not a bar.
It’s a vibe.” The couple want to establish an atmosphere like bars or venues seen in Sacramento, giving those who would otherwise travel for a night out a chance to get the same experience locally. “When you go into a bar, there’s a certain ambiance or atmosphere, and we thought this was a lot different than a typical bar,” Vasquez said.
“We knew we wanted to stand out and be different. We wanted a different atmosphere, more of a city vibe. When you go to downtown Sacramento, people go out of town to do certain things, but why can’t we do that here? Why can’t we do that in our town when people are driving an hour away to go do these things?” Roa continued.
Paloma’s has already hosted a number of community events and the owners will continue to establish it as a venue for all guests regardless of whether they drink or not. As well as being the name of a cocktail, “paloma” is also the Spanish word for dove, which Vasquez and Roa chose as a symbol for his family and business. “We knew we wanted a vibe.
We knew we wanted a name change: something new, something bright, something different. Paloma’s kept sticking with us because not only is it a drink, it’s a metaphor for love,” Vasquez said. The couple said that business has been strong since opening day.
They hope to channel this momentum into possible expansions, like starting a prep kitchen to serve a limited food menu. Vasquez said that trying to add these modifications can be challenging in older buildings like those in Downtown Marysville. “We’re trying to figure out how to make it happen.
We see the future as having some sort of small menu,” he said. Roa hopes to attract more community members through different events. “Hosting more events is my biggest thing I want to accomplish.
Whether it be sip and paints, bringing more local artists, trivia nights, those different things that will bring different crowds in. Just making it fun,” she said. Paloma’s Cantina Lounge is located at 311 D St.
in Marysville. The bar is currently open on Wednesday and Sunday from 1 p.m.
to 10 p.m., Thursday from 1 p.
m. to 11 p.m.
and Friday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to midnight.
Roa said that business hours will likely change as Paloma’s continues to grow..
