At Café Glendi, lunch comes with the smell of Mediterranean food, the hum of conversation and the chance of running into someone you know.
The restaurant sits inside Eugene’s 5th Street Public Market Eateries, a well-trafficked food hall populated by independent businesses. For owner Borzi Marashi, it’s more than a place to serve food. It’s a space he has known since he was a student – and one he has helped make his own for nearly three decades.
“I really like this place because I have memories of it from when I was 19 years old, and now into my 60s,” he said.
As the longest-standing vendor in the food hall, Café Glendi has outlasted changing tastes, economic challenges and the arrival and departure of other vendors. Marashi credits a combination of location, loyal customers and a business model that keeps operations manageable.
Marashi came to the United States from Iran as an international student. He remembers solo study sessions at the market.
“I’d come with my backpack. Get my coffee, whatever, a little food maybe, and then I’d spend time studying here,” he said.
Years later, after selling Gazebo–a restaurant he had operated in the Eugene area–Marashi leaned toward an opportunity to run a Greek restaurant in a familiar place.
“The rest is history,” he said.
Keeping the business manageable
Part of Café Glendi’s longevity and business framework is its size. The restaurant occupies about 450 square feet and employs around six people, making it a smaller operation than a traditional full-service restaurant.
Marashi said that simplicity makes the business easier to manage.
That distinction matters in an industry where staffing and expenses can put pressure on independent businesses. Marashi recently closed another restaurant he operated downtown for nearly three years – an experience that reinforced how much a business's location and surroundings shape its fate.
Café Glendi also runs alongside Marashi’s catering company, which serves events across the county, including weddings and sports-related functions.
His route into hospitality wasn't linear, though. He studied general science and considered teaching, but found that a classroom wasn't the right fit. Restaurant work offered more variety, and he moved from waiting tables into restaurant partnerships.
He also drew on his Persian background, incorporating Persian-inspired dishes into Mediterranean menus.
Family has played an important role, too. His mother, Ashi Marashi, began helping at the eatery despite having never worked outside the home before. Marashi describes her as a “partner in everything but name.”
She helps to run Café Glendi and has built close relationships with diners and fellow market workers.
A hub for community
Marashi said the food hall itself is another reason the restaurant has endured. Customers can stop for a meal, grab coffee, shop for gifts or meet friends. The variety of food options makes the space appealing to groups with different culinary cravings.
“We like to be in that room because the room has several components to it – different kinds of food,” he said.
He also values the contour of independent businesses, which he believes creates a more personal atmosphere than one dominated by corporate chains.
The market has grown since Marashi first visited as a student. He has watched businesses come and go, while seasonal tourism and community events have helped bring patrons through the doors.
Business tends to pick up during summer and the holidays, he said, while slower periods and economic downturns present challenges. Loyal customers have helped Café Glendi weather those fluctuations.
For Marashi, the appeal of staying is also personal. The market holds decades of memories, and a quick visit can turn into a conversation with a friend.
In 2028, he hopes to celebrate Café Glendi’s 30th anniversary at the 5th Street Public Market.
For now, Marashi plans to continue to serve food in a place that has been at the heart of his journey.
