Building owner Ignacio Velazquez said he found a buyer for the
business in a longtime employee, his former General Manager Jamie
Ball.
After a five-month hiatus, The Vault is reopening just in time for the Hollister Motorcycle Rally.
Ignacio Velazquez owned the restaurant and property for 10 years before putting the business part of it up for sale earlier this year. After several potential tenants backed out – including the owners of Country Rose, who would have moved their restaurant into the building – Velazquez said he found a buyer in a longtime employee, his former General Manager Jamie Ball.
“I had a lot of offers from people who wanted to turn it into a cafeteria or something else,” he said. “I know Jamie, and she’s going to keep the same culture.”
For five of the 10 years Velazquez has owned The Vault, Ball worked as a bartender and eventually the general manager.
She said she’s a little nervous branching off with her own business in tough economic times. She said, however, that feeling takes a back seat to the excitement of running her own restaurant.
“My head’s in a million different places right now,” Ball said. “But I have a great game plan and I think it’s going to work out great. I want people to have a place to come bring their families to for a nice meal as well as a great bar that will be a lot of fun.”
First constructed in 1931 as a state-of-the-art branch of Bank of America, the building stood for 64 years in that capacity for several different companies – hence the restaurant’s name.
It was in 1998 that Velazquez bought the property and turned it into a dining establishment and bar.
Both Ball and Velazquez said one major reason for the timing of the opening is the Hollister Motorcycle Rally, set to start July 11.
“Typically, the biker rally brings in three months worth of income in one weekend,” Velazquez said. “We hope to make it a big weekend once again.”
Currently, The Vault is open for dinner, offering a limited menu of some of their most popular items. Ball said after the rally, she hopes to take a week to clean up and get ready for a grand opening shortly after.
“I want to make sure everything is in order before our grand opening,” Ball said. “I want it to be a special day.”
Ball said she planned to have a D.J. play during the rally as well as have the Budweiser Girls and perhaps the Corona Girls appear for the party.
“It’s going to be a great party,” Ball said. “It always is.”
