A New York-style bagel restaurant is set to open in Orillia.
Britt Hicks and Cam Fraser invite the community to Poppies Bagel Company at 42 Mississaga St. W. (formerly home to The Cheesy Pickup) for the grand opening on July 13.
They will be fully stocked with fresh bagels made daily, sandwiches, cream cheese made in-house, and coffee.
"We've taken some inspiration from some New York bagel shops," Fraser explained of their new downtown eatery. "We really like that style and want to reproduce it here in Orillia."
Both Hicks and Fraser have done tons of research into the mainstay bagel shops in New York City as well as some of the new, trendy ones.
"I did do a focused bagel trip where I ate about 16 bagels in three days," Fraser chuckled.
Hicks, 34, has been selling baked items at the ODAS Park Farmers' Market for four years. She began selling bagels last year which took the business to new heights.
"It's something different," she said. "Orillia doesn't really have a bagel spot and bagels are kind of having a moment right now. There's a place in Barrie and there's a place in Bracebridge."
Fraser, 32, has worked in the restaurant industry as a chef for several years, which is what interested him in helping Hicks evolve her craft and open a new shop.
"They are really good quality bagels," he said. "They blow the stuff at the grocery store right out of the water. There's no competition there."
Hicks, a Barrie native, says nothing compares to a hand-rolled bagel.
"We are boiling them, baking them, and everything is done in-house," she said. "It's a totally different flavour from what you are getting in a grocery store."
On the menu are eight flavours of bagels, two breakfast sandwiches, and six lunch sandwiches.
"We tried to build an opening menu that is simple and good," Fraser explained. "It's easy to execute so we can make people happy right off the bat."
Once the bagel spot is established and the staff of seven get into a grove, Fraser, a Toronto native, says the menu will continue to evolve.
Poppies Bagel Company will also sell bagels by the dozen and cream cheese by the tub.
"Certainly, we want you to be able to host a brunch at home," Frasier said. "We'd also like you to come here for breakfast or lunch, but take our bagels home and have that nice Sunday morning with family."
Hicks says there is a ton of positivity around the new eatery on Instagram.
"We are getting a ridiculous amount of messages," she said. "People seem to be really excited about it and I think it's going to be good."
