Old Town Bagels, pictured above, has been in business for 16 years.
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Staff Writer
Old Town Bagels has been at 211 N. Cedar Ave. in Owatonna for 16 years, and, in spite of diminished business during the pandemic, it remains a popular dining and snack destination.
The business was originally owned by the Satterlunds. Mark Wilson, husband of current owner Stacy Wilson, who purchased the business six years ago, says simply, “There wasn't a bagel shop in town, so they opened it as a bagel shop.”
Usually, the cafe is filled with inviting tables, where locals sit down to sip a latte, munch bagels and homemade cream cheese, and share the latest news or gossip with friends. During the Covid pandemic though, all the tables were removed, and customers could call in orders and stop by to pick them up, paying either over the phone, or when they arrived. When limited to curbside pickup and to-go bags for eight months, the customer base dropped drastically. Wilson concedes that business is still rather slow, “But it's doing okay,” he says. Happily, the empty look is a thing of the past, and customers once again enjoy their bagel sandwiches together amid the chatter at the longed-for tables.
“It's a great mom-and-pop sandwich and soup shop,” says Wilson.
In October, in addition to the ever-popular Chicken Pesto Melts and Perfect Pastrami sandwiches, ice cream will be on the menu – a hard-dip ice cream from Madison, Wis., called Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream.
The current hours at Old Town Bagels are 6:30 – 2:30 Mon. – Sat., with hours expanding to be open later come October.