Post-Grope Bagel
My master bagel plan could use a little tweaking. Nearly 36 hours after creating a post on Craigslist, my bagel dream is far from realized.
Thus far, there's been no serious interest in opening a grope-free bagel shop in East Harlem, although Meltron did say that he and his wife have discussed doing just that and Harlem Blogger extraordinaire Joe Schumacher revealed knowing a little something about baking bagels and said that it might be time to dig out the recipe.
Um, yeah.
Here are a couple of the other emails that I've received:
"I just bought a bag of six bagels for 99 cents in a 'grocery store' on Brook Avenue and 145th street in the south Bronx. The hole was about 2 inches in diameter. These were the skinniest bagels I ever saw!"Dirty bagel no more! I'll keep you posted....
"The urge for a bagel (and a beer, but that's a different business) never strikes me harder than when I'm waiting for my laundry at the laundromat. Someone should open a bagel store in a laundromat."
posted by Rachel Natalie Klein at 7:49 AM
8 Comments:
It's funny... I will be a new homeowner in Harlem very soon, and I have read from lots of sources that the retail/restaurant/amenities lag behind the influx of homebuyers. Your bagel search is indicative of that. As my move date creeps closer, I have wondered if I would be able, on top of a mortgage of course, to open a business in my new neighborhood that would satisfy something that the area currently lacks for its residents-- a veggie stand, an outdoor café, a health food store... (I don't know from bagels, so you're on your own there.)
I would hope that through some kind of government BID program designed to help neighborhoods in Harlem to improve their resources to serve residents that I would be able to find creaive ways to finance and begin a business. The irony is: I believe in the neighborhood and its potential enough to buy a home, but I don't yet trust it to be a worthwhile place to open a business.
Will I be one of those people who look at a wildly successful store in the perfect Harlem location several years from now and wonder why I didn't think of opening a business there? I think that is exactly what the entire 'second Renaissance' hinges on. We're all just waiting for the tipping point, where risk and return meet.
Speaking as a Manhattan consumer, Harlem resident and from non retail experience.
I think central Harlem is more than ready for increased dining diversity. I see many young hip people on the streets that would welcome diversity and frequent a healthy, interesting, value dining establishment.
I think fear of the unknown in recent years held back renters / buyers, that now see Harlem as a great place to live. Those early adopters benefited greatly and have not looked back.
Similarly, I think fear of the unknown has also held back many entrepreneurs, those early restaurateurs to bring diversity to Harlem will also benefit greatly.
I live in E. Harlem and frequent Bagel Plus. I am sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident but please don't write as if Bagel Plus is somehow responsible. Talking about opening a "grope-free bagel shop in East Harlem" does just that. As far as I see the owners and employees are hard working people who were tainted by a deranged customer. Your blogging does them a disservice.
If anything, you are feeding into the hostility felt by neighborhood folks towards newcomers who think they know better.
I just moved to central Harlem a month and a half ago and am more than ready for dining diversity as well as a health food store (Vitamin Shop, GNC anybody?) and an outdoor cafe (though I think Seppetani is great). And while I'm not wrapped up in the bagel search as our host here is, I'd welcome a good bagel shop so that more people like her will feel at home in the 'nabe.
Oh, and to the poster who thinks that Bagel in Harlem in maligning Bagel Plus, I ask: Did the employees/owners do anything to remove that person? Did they apologize? They have to be responsible for some degree for the things that happen in their store. If they get called out on it, it may be unfortunate if it's not their fault, but will spur them to action in correcting the problem. (And why would Bagel want to go back there again with the groping experience?)
GNC – North side of 125th btwn Lenox and Adam Clayon
Vitamins health food – South side of 125th btwn Lenox and 5th
Outdoor café – Boma East side of 5th Ave at 126th
To 2:08 anon:
You ask: "Did the employees/owners do anything to remove that person? Did they apologize? They have to be responsible for some degree for the things that happen in their store. If they get called out on it, it may be unfortunate if it's not their fault, but will spur them to action in correcting the problem. (And why would Bagel want to go back there again with the groping experience?)"
I hope one day you or "Bagel in Harlem" open up a small business in the neighborhood. Then you'll know what it's like to have your good name dragged through the blogosphere mud based on the uncontrollable actions of one of your customers. What is "correcting the problem" exactly? Profiling? Screening customers when the enter the store? Security guards? Preventing something like this from happening before the fact is simply not possible in a public place such as a bagel shop.
This whole post could have been done just as effectively without including the establishment's name. Real journalists do it all the time. Unfortunately not enough blogs do.
Do you own an interest in that bagel store or something?
Also, you never answered my last question - why would she want to go back with that experience?
And to answer your question, they (i) apologize to the customer who was groped, (ii) run the groper out of their store, (iii) deny entry to the groper on future occasions, and (iv) if they see their name on the blogosphere, respond with a message that apologizes for the experience and assures its customers that they do not condone such things in their store.
No, I have no interest in the store. No, I would not expect her to return. No, Bagel Plus employees/owners are not likely to even read this blog or Curbed. Yes, as a resident of the neighborhood I've had enough with the snobby attitude and disregard for those not able to prevent what happened, i.e. Bagel Plus.
Post a Comment
<< Home