As the door opens, delicious aromas of freshly baked pastries and the clamor of crowds enjoying themselves over a nice Czech meal flood out of Vladislava’s Czech Bakery & Cafe. David Safarik was a freshman and employee of the bakery that his mother, Vladislava Polaskova, owned in Yukon with her business partner Devin Tenney.
Before Polaskova moved to Yukon, she lived in the Czech Republic for 30 years.
“I moved here in 1999 because I’m a country girl, and I really wanted to see some of the stuff I saw on the TV,” Polaskova said.
When she got to the states, she opened a food truck to test the waters of the food industry.
“I baked some cookies and goodies, and when the Americans tasted them, they pushed me to open my own Czech Bakery,” Polaskova said. “When you are putting together a business, the main point is money. We opened a food truck in 2015 and found it can be a successful business.”

Polaskova opened her Czech Bakery in September 2021 during the Czech Festival. Czech Fest would end up being a successful event every year for the bakery.
“Working during Czech Fest is a very fun experience,” Hien Ma, a volunteer at the bakery said. “You get to meet a lot of fun people.”
Ma and Safarik worked together at the front to take people’s orders and sent them to the back, where Polaskova prepared the food.
“My job is a lot easier with David because he talks to the customers so I don’t have to,” Ma said.
Safariks Czech heritage influenced him, and more specifically, the food he eats.
“If I compare myself to other kids, they eat different foods then I do,” Safarik said. “The bakery serves the kind of food I would eat, and that could be part of the reason why the bakery is a success.”