Question: Why do seagulls fly over the sea?
Answer: Because if they flew by the bay, they would be bagels.
All joking aside, Hanover's own Bagel Basement has recently undergone a change in management. These days, the bagel monopoly has fallen in the hands Jennifer Black. Jennifer's brother, a Dartmouth alumni, purchased the Bagel Basement last spring with five friends and gave Jen partial ownership in exchange for her running the business.
My curious mind and love for breakfast sandwiches (they're freaking delicious) led me to the Bagel Basement last Tuesday. Jennifer, 27, is a Kansas native whose interests include Canadian beer and listening to her own music at work. Sitting in her tiny office, we talked about Dartmouth boys (she's interested) and how owning a business with her brother would "make mom proud." This week, thoughts from Jennifer Black on making the bagels.
How did you come to be a partial owner of the Bagel Basement?
Jennifer: My brother is 18 months older than me. When I was 18 years old, I used to come up for all the big weekends ... and we used to stumble down these stairs. [My brother] and his friends were all 2000 Psi U's, and they all went off and did their own thing. One day, my brother said, "I have this amazing news -- Bagel Basement's for sale." And I was like, "That sh*t-hole with the breakfast sandwiches? I love that food." Then two days later, he was like, "Do you want to do this?" I was on my way east from California ... within a month my car was packed up, my apartment was sublet and I was coming out here.
You've worked in the food-service industry before, but have never been in charge of a business. How do you like it so far?
Jennifer: Well, it's been two months actually, on the 5th. Yeah, dude, on Tuesday it's my 60-day anniversary of running "the Bagel" ... Honestly? I don't know how this place is open. I always say I'm feeding the world, one frat-boy at a time. But with great power comes great responsibility, right?
[Bagel Basement employee, Cyrus, enters the room]
Cyrus: Hey, is it Molson time?
Jennifer: Yeah, it's Molson time.
So, what's the history of the store?
Jennifer: It was actually a crawl space beneath this building. The old owners actually had to dig down in sections. The Bagel Basement was totally made to order. The other store is right close to DHMC ... we get a lot of hot doctors that come in there, so that's nice. But all the cute college boys -- I think I'd take the cute frat boys over the hot doctors. But, those scrubs, man ... I actually like tall, bearded men, though. Preferably with a little somethin' to hold on to. But then again, any guy who's okay with me working a 90-hour work week and owning a dog is fine.
What type of dog?
Jennifer: A lab-collie mix. I told the guys here, "If she ever gets sick from eating off the floor, you haven't done a good job cleaning." They tried to feed her Molson, too. But she's more of a Miller-Light girl.
Any plans for the Bagel Basement in the future?
Jennifer: [The other five owners] have plans to seriously put in beds. Like, bunk beds back here in the office ... I'd like to move "the Bagel" upstairs and put a bar in the basement. Maybe a fire-pole in between the two, you know? Look for it next time the lease on Folk runs up.
