At the new Blue House Bagel Co. & Cafe in Canton, the hours were supposed to be 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., but their natural sourdough bagels are selling so fast they’ve changed closing to whenever they run out.
That’s usually about 11:30 a.m.
The café opened less than four weeks ago and even the couple who owns it were shocked to see winding lines opening week.
They increased production by 50 percent and the lines aren’t quite as long now, but they can’t up production again because it’s an artisan product – and that’s exactly what customers love.
They’re now selling about 900 bagels per day.
“We’re certainly excited for Blue House Bagels and the vibrancy they’ve brought to Canton,” said Matt Dingee, chairman of the town’s economic development agency.
Dingee waited in line with his daughter shortly after the business opened to taste the bagels.
“I get it – there’s a reason why people are flocking to their bagel cafe,” Dingee said after getting a taste . “It was worth the wait.”
The cafe, set in a big blue historic house circa 1800s on Route 44, is owned by Lia Safalow and her husband, Dr. Mark Safalow, who gutted the old house and renovated to the hilt – new walls, floors, plumbing and electric.
The business is mainly Lia Safalow’s baby, but the family pitches in.
Her husband is a cashier and dishwasher when not saving lives at UConn John Dempsey Hospital. Their son, Matt, 21, an out-of-state college senior is chief operating officer and son, Ben, 19, who owns the successful Incognito Tints in Avon, helps out when he can.
Opening a cafe or restaurant was a bucket list item for Lia Safalow, 50, who left her job as director of operations for Velocity Urgent Care to pursue her dream.
“I’m working really hard and seeing results,” she said. “It’s a lot more than I thought, but I’m glad I did it.”
The family settled on a bagel cafe, went to bagel-making school in New York City and opened March 26.
Lia Safalow ‘s vision was for a cafe with great bagels, coffee and ambiance all in one. Lia said she could never find that combo – she’d have to get a bagel at a bagel shop, get quality coffee somewhere else and then eat it in the car.
The cafe serves coffee from Saccuzzo Coffee Roasters in Newington.
“I didn’t want it to be that cheapie strip mall feel,” Lia said.
She certainly accomplished that in the eyes of customer Mindy Scutt who has a Sunday morning “coffee date” with her husband before their teens awake. They always choose a small, local business and gave Blue House a try.
“The shop is beautiful with a rustic charm and the staff was kind and attentive,” she said. “The bagels were incredible. Chewy and soft on the inside with the perfect crust on the outside. We will definitely come back.”
Lia said she likes “standing back” and watching customers enjoy the food and coffee. “It makes me happy; all the work is making people happy.”
Lia said their bagels require a three-day process to be sourdough.
On day one she makes the dough, on day two she forms the bagels and on day three they start baking at 2 a.m.
Being in the healthcare industry, the family is health conscious and so the bagels are made with unbleached flour with no artificial ingredients.
They have 14-16 rotating choices, plus specialty bagels, such as one with bacon, egg and cheese stuffed in the hole.
They also have specialty sandwiches such as the “Loxed Door” – salmon, dill, pickled onions, greens, capers, heirloom tomatoes, cream cheese.
Rosemary is grown on site for their popular rosemary and olive oil bagels. Aside from the usual bagel varieties – everything, onion, poppy, cheddar, jalapeno cheddar, they have a few unique ones, such as a Middle Eastern bagel made with Za’Atar spice and a French toast bagel.
They also carry one type of “flagels” or flat bagels every day.
They also make their own cream cheese toppings using all fresh vegetables and they love the creativity that affords Lia came up with a delicious strawberry cheesecake cream cheese, her husband said.
“It’s interesting,” Mark said of the business. “It’s a lot of work, but so far it’s been a worthwhile experience.”
As a doctor, Mark said, he likes that they’re selling more healthful bagels and said he proved it with his own blood sugar, as he wears a device to monitor his blood sugar.
Mark said he ate a bagel made by a competitor and his sugar shot from 100 to 300 in an hour. Later, he ate a Blue House bagel and his blood sugar stayed at 120.
The couple were longtime West Hartford residents, but moved to Avon to be closer to the business.
The couple found the “blue house,” circa 1800s, and formerly an antique store in 2021. With a thorough rehabilitation they projected they would be in business by spring 2022, but it took longer than they thought.
“It had a certain mystique, charm about it,” Mark said said of the house.
Canton official Dingee said the town is “very pleased” with all the renovations and appreciates the importance of preserving an historic building.
He said the opening of Blue House Bagel Co. & Cafe “validates” the recent economic growth in Canton.
“It speaks to the business-friendly environment we’ve been trying to foster in recent years,” he said.
Longtime Canton resident Debbie Howard, who met Lia on Facebook while in the process of the “blue house” being restored, said she too appreciates “the beauty of the building.”
Howard has followed the journey of Canton’s hottest new business and also loves that Lia uses as many local products as possible.
“It’s going crazy for her and I’m so happy for her,” Howard said. “It’s just an amazing success.”
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Blue House Bagel Co. & Cafe brings 'vibrancy' to this CT town; owners can't produce bagels fast enough - Hartford Courant
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