When New York Bagel Company owner Jay Gomez learned there would be major construction in front of his store on Lee Drive in Baton Rouge, he decided to pull up stakes and move the bagel shop a mile down the road after nearly 30 years in the same spot.
The new New York Bagel Company will be located on Highland Drive, which used to be home to the Fat Cow Burgers & Salads. The new location would add a full espresso bar and it is slated to open in December. Gomez also has two other locations for his New York Bagel Company; one on Perkins Road and one on Airline Highway.
“We had been looking when the Fat Cow burger place went out of business,” Gomez told What Now New Orleans. “So we talked to the landlord and got the lease. I’ve been jumping through hoops to get this process completed so we can move.”
The new location will be a bit smaller than the old one. Despite that, Gomez is looking at offering a bit more than the bagels, bagel pizzas, and classic deli fare the old location was known for. In fact, he’s thinking about possibly getting a beer-and-wine license.
“We’ll be a little bit closer to campus, so maybe we would get a little more evening traffic,” Gomez said. “People could come in, sit down and have a drink. Because we’re going to have some TVs on to keep some entertainment going. But for the most part, it’s going to be the same New York Bagel but just down the street.”
“(Serving alcohol) is not something I’ve ever dealt with and I’m not sure I want the headaches associated with it,” he added.
